Lunch Bunch - The Heights Baptist: Recent Episodes
The Heights Baptist Church
We can be good loving Christian’s and land on opposing political and social views
Opening Questions:
What does it mean to be meak?
Can you be an advocate for a cause in today’s world and promote peace?
What does social justice mean?
- Social justice, rightly understood, is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities.
- Wrongly understood is that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social outcome
Does God desire social justice?
Matthew 5:5-10
When we flip the beatitudes inside out we often find just a description of humanity.
On Social Change
Vs 5: The Meek
defining meek
"instead of meekness, arrogance."
Our most inward being doesn't long to be gentle; rather it desires to chase our own desires and self-righteousness arrogantly. Instead, in meekness, we trust the word of God, what He says about us and His eternal inheritance.
Instead of self idolatry we exalt the name of Christ.
Instead of self worship we worship Jesus
Its not that we are pacifists…we are not fighting masculinity, its that we are humble… even to the point of death like Jesus
Not my own well being. But the wellbeing of others
Vs 6: Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
To hunger for righteousness is a normal Christian desire
We are the body of Christ, which means we do not all operate or do the same things. God’s plan is for us all to operate under the given role and manifestation of the Spirit of God. We naturally will try to make our circles look more like the Kingdom of Heaven
1 Corinthians 12
God wants you to make his kingdom visible in specific areas. Not all
Vs 7 Mercy (also vs 9-10 peacemakers and those who are persecuted).
Receiving love, mercy, and forgiveness from Christ is a prerequisite for giving mercy. It’s like adding to your vocabulary
Seek first the kingdom and the rest will be added
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Meditate daily on the teachings and life of Jesus.
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Remember always that the non—violent movement in Birmingham seeks justice and reconciliation — not victory.
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Walk and talk in the manner of love, for God is love.
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Pray daily to be used by God in order that all men might be free.
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Sacrifice personal wishes in order that all men might be free.
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Observe with both friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy.
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Seek to perform regular service for others and for the world.
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Refrain from the violence of fist, tongue, or heart.
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Strive to be in good spiritual and bodily health.
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Follow the directions of the movement and of the captain on a demonstration.
What do you notice about this?
Closing Thoughts: Romans 12
Many (Not all) current social justice movements have been fueled by taking control, power, reparations, and vengeance. If these are the heart of a movement it is against God’s character. I question if it is honoring God.
Spurgeon
For those outside of Christ his sovereignty is terrifying because you are not in control… yet for those that are in Christ it is safety, security, and blessing.
Romans 12:9-21
Blessed are the Steadfast
Psalm 119:1-6
Opening Questions:
Can we ever lose our salvation? Why or why not?
Can we ever achieve holiness in our life? Why or why not?
Does God ever command us to do something that we cannot do?
Read - Psalm 119:1-6
The Negative Argument:
To identify the blessing… let's first understand the consequence of not being steadfast:
The consequence is not inheriting the Kingdom
- Psalm 1
The Way of the Righteous and the Wicked
[1] Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
[2] but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
[3] He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
[4] The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
[5] Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
[6] for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
- Mark 7:21
The heart defiles
- 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
[9] Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, [10] nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
- Galatians 5:19-21
Galatians 5:19-21
[19] Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, [20] idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, [21] envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
- Revelation 21:8
Revelation 21:8
[8] But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Holiness is written on everything in heaven.
And nothing unholy can enter into this heaven (Rev. 21:27; Heb.
12:14). Even if you could enter heaven without holiness, what would you do? What joy would you feel there? What holy man or woman of God would you sit down with for fellowship? Their pleasures are not your pleasures. Their character is not your character. What they love, you do not love. If you dislike a holy God now, why would you want to be with him forever? If worship does not capture your attention at present, what makes you think it will thrill you in some heavenly future? If ungodliness is your delight here on earth, what will please you in heaven, where all is clean and pure? You would not be happy there if you are not holy here.
- Kevin DeYoung
Cultivating an appetite
Possible story of Africa delighting in land
- Blessed are The Blameless recap (Vs 1)
- To be blameless is without fault
- There is an objective standard - God’s character and the revelation of it in the Bible
- Made Blameless before God - IN CHRIST
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Positional Sanctification (New Idea for the Group) made holy in one moment for all time before the Lord. this is UNION with God.
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Blessed are those IN Christ (vs 2-4)
- Progressive sanctification being conformed to the image of God.
- 2 Corinthians 5:21
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For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
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Romans 6:4-5
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In Christ we are dead to sin and alive to righteousness
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Colossians 3:1-3
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In Christ we are secure
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2 Corinthians 5:15,17
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In Christ we are new creations
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Galatians 2:20
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In Christ we have new life
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Col 3:12-14
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In Christ we are holy and precious
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1 Peter 1:15-16
- In Christ we are made holy… we can be holy only because he is holy
As we conform to the image of God, we move from UNION to COMMUNION while we can never sin enough to lose the union that we have… (Think Marriage) we can lose communion.
Big Idea
Our steadfastness is counted to us as Holiness before God.
- Blessed are those who are with Christ (5-6)
- Union and Communion with Christ does not describe some of the blessings that we receive in salvation - its all the blessing. You cannot live a blessed life without being steadfast to the commands of God.
Blessed are the steadfast for they will not be put to shame. For you will be with God.
Blessed Are The Blameless
Psalm 119:1
Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord!
Table Questions:
What is someone who is blessed?
What does it mean to be blameless?
Blamelessness assumes there is a standard in which we must judge ourselves under.
This is particularly problematic in our world who is unwilling to subject themselves to any authority
- According to God in order to be blessed I have to accept an authoritative set of rules I must follow
As christians we follow Jesus but aside from a postmodern view of the world there has become a postmodern line of Christianity that can thwart any argument with: “My Jesus would…” or “My Jesus wouldn’t”
Nobody cares about your Jesus
Ultimately this statement is more about your beliefs and is nothing but idolitrous shadow of a magnificent God you don’t know and cant handle. My Jesus very well. Jesus says specifically -
John 14:15
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
- We can trust his commands
Even by secular scholars the Bible when compared to other ancient texts is the most accurate text that we have in history and it is not even close.
Show Image On Screen:
Over 40 Authors (For The Screen):
For this to happen and have agreement across all texts is IMPOSSIBLE and would require for a manager to carefully craft across all the authors!
Imagine the people in this room setting out to write out a new religion… imagine the inaccuracy that would take place. You would have to have one person carefully managing each author.
But even more impossible is the amount of cross references within the Bible itself
Show Image on Screen
almost 65000 cross references!!!
Every phrase is dependant on almost every other phrase. Statistically impossible.
You can start at almost any verse and follow the cross references in an infinite possibilities. This is why you can go into the Bible and find endless depths of truth to nourish your life.
There is nothing even close to this until the invention of the internet in 1983.
- We are not Blameless
If we are subject to authority and the authority has given us the Bible to follow then that means that everyone of us are guilty of breaking the law and going against authority
Hebrews 10
For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 Consequently, when Christ[a] came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”
8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ[b] had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
Christ alone is our path to be blameless. He sat down… his work is done. If you have called upon the Lord your sins are taken away.
- The Blessing
For all those that walk according to his law and his word
Ps 19:7-11
- Perfect
- Reviving
- Trustworthy
- Make me wise
- The are right
- Giving of Joy
- They are clear
- They have insight
- Pure
- Enduring
- True
- Fair
- Desirable
- Worth more than Gold
- Sweet
- Warning / protecting
- Rewarding for those that obey
- 1. You listen to the thief What are some ways that we attempt to approach outside of Jesus?
We have cultivated an appetite for the forbidden. So much so that we are no longer satisfied with what is freely given by God. When the voice of the thief speaks we answer quickly because we trust it to satisfy something in us. We starve at a dinner table (God prepares a table)
2. Jesus says I Am the Gate:
Vs 2: when we enter through the gate, that is Jesus, we are inspected and ensured that we are healed.
Your rod and staff they comfort me
Shepherds would hold their rod and staff low at the gate so that the sheep would slow down and enter in so they could inspect us.
Vs 3: God is calling you to come… and be healed! Not just part of a community but to be changed forever
3. Jesus says I Am the Good Shepherd
Vs 3- 4 know his voice
Vs 4 - He is our guide in front
Vs 11 -17 As our guide he is willing to sacrifice his life so we inherit what was never deserved for us
Hebrews 10 warns of those who seek a different shepherd! There remains no gospel for them.
Ps 23 lead us to water and rest
1. What is Ahead (v. 12-14)
- Not Perfected, Yet Pressing On (v. 12)
Pick up your cross daily
I have been crucified with Christ
“Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it while you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.” - John Owens
- The Ultimate Prize: Knowing Jesus Christ (v. 13-14)
Hebrews lay off every weight
Mathew 5:8 the pure of heart will see God
2. What is Within (v. 15-19)
- The Holy Spirit
- The Flesh
Their god is their belly - compare to the heart is deceptively wicked
3. What is Above (v. 20-21)
- Our Home
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God has the power to subject all things to himself / our final sanctification
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"He that hath slight thoughts of sin never had great thoughts of God."- John Owens
Conclusion:
Recall these thoughts:
“Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it while you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.”
"He that hath slight thoughts of sin never had great thoughts of God."
Memorize:
Philippians 3:14
[14] I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Recorded at "The Heights At Night" our young adult ministries monthly gather of 18-35 year olds.
- Look out for Moralists (Philippians 3:1-6)
- Beware of External Rules being a mark of salvation
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The Perils of Self-Righteousness
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Confidence in the Flesh
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The Futility of Religious Achievements
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False Confidence of salvation
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The Surpassing Worth of Knowing Christ (Philippians 3:7-8)
- Move from an academic pursuit to a relational pursuit
- What does it take to know Jesus? John 14 and John 15
- Morality is in pursuit of knowing God. Not earning God
- The Goal: Attaining the Resurrection (Philippians 3:9-11)
- A new goal
- A new power
- A new persecution - life is suffering. All acts are worship. Who am I going to worship?
- Not about salvation but of Christ - I am the resurrection and the life
Application:
Ask the Lord to change your heart and for you to be able to desire knowing Jesus above all else. When we truly love God, everything else falls into place.
What is the difference between humility and self deprecation? How Can you develop a mindset and a practice of humility? Pastor Eric sits down and discusses a way to better apply biblical humility into your life.
Can you claim to be humble and still be humble? Defining humility is vital to your walk with the Lord!
Recorded at The Heights At Night.
Sermon Notes:
- Have the same mind
Vs. 1-4
Unity doesn’t happen from me working to be more like you but us all being more like Christ
Micah 6:8
[8] He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
Productive generosity
- Christ's mind of humility Vs 4-11
Do not need to forcefully grab what he already is (God)
Yet he did not use it and emptied himself
Kenoo / Kenosis - emptying
- Emptied himself of his Glory - garden he asked to be restored to glory
To see his glory is to die - Moses
From glory to humiliation
From this we see that there is no point where we can say “no I’m not doing this… i am better than this.”
- Our mind is a mind of Joy
Vs. 12-18
Our lives are to be a light- how!?
Even if I am poured out I will rejoice
The only way that we receive this joy… the only way that we understand humility, the only way that we live out justice, kindness, and humility (Micah 6:8) is through surrendering our lives to Jesus. We must humble ourselves and surrender.
Message from July's "The Heights At Night"
Our Young Adults Life Groups meet once a week but all groups come together The Heights At Night every third Thursday!
Sermon notes:
One Goal - Vs 12-19
Jesus
What right do we have to authorize the advancement of the Gospel???
The gospel… even out of the mouth of a monster is still good news
What right do we even have to hear the gospel!?
How do we have confidence in our salvation?
One Hope - Vs 20-26
Jesus
What confidence do we have if we are sure of victory no matter the path?
- The great joy of the Gospel is God himself. Death means to be in His presence
- Life means that I am still used for the advancement of the kingdom of God.
If I live I share
One Joy - Vs 27-30
Jesus
Open up the Bible to Philippians chapter 1 and discuss the relationship between joy, confidence, and love.
The Heights At Night is a monthly gathering of young adults of The Heights Baptist Church that occurs every third Thursday.
Sermon Notes:
Receive the Gospel (3-6)
- Received not achieved
- Cannot be earned cannot be unearned
- When we stop trying to achieve the approval of God and recognize that is is only from God that we have salvation and only through God that we have relationship we can have true JOY! Knowing ‘All is well between the believer and the Lord.’
Share the Gospel (7-8)
- Koinania - deep partnership
- The same boat with the same goal in spite of our differences
- Love that we have for one is deep (from the gut)
- Love for one another gives us confidence in the shared hope and salvation in the Gospel
Grow in the Gospel (9-11)
- Love is what is to grow in knowledge (Epignosis - Wisdom)
- Love is what really matters
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If we agree with the doctrine of our church but do not love the people in it then we are not living out lives that are pure and blameless
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Love is the fruit of, the evidence of, salvation
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If we claim to know Christ but cannot find it in ourselves to love the church then there is a major problem. Possibly a salvation problem.
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Love to one another is worship to God
Application:
What is one thing that you can do that would count others as more important than yourself? How can you deeply love the community of people that are around you?
Some info on how to get connected in our Young Adult Ministry and also plans for The Heights Young Adult Podcast.
If you want to get connected email Jordan West at jwest@thb.church
Decibels, frequencies, brown notes, and can God Hear You? Yep we cover all of that in today's episode of Lunch Bunch.
Take a lunch break with Jordan, Jerry, Kyle, and Eric! This week we told stories about childhood pranks and had a conversation about the problem of evil.
Take a lunch break with Jordan, Jerry, Kyle, and Eric! This week and next week we will be asking questions like: "Can a Christian have doubts?" and "What does the Bible say about doubt?" We will also be having a ton of fun talking about some funny conspiracy theories and some tricky true or false questions.
Take a lunch break with Jordan, Jerry, Kyle, and Eric! This week and next week we will be asking questions like: "Can a Christian have doubts?" and "What does the Bible say about doubt?"
We will also be having a ton of fun talking about some funny conspiracy theories and some tricky true or false questions.
Welcome back!
We will be posting two podcasts a month. These next two episodes, launching next week, will be a series of discussions on doubt. We will be asking questions like: "Can a Christian have doubts?" and "What does the Bible say about doubt?"
We will also be having a ton of fun talking about some funny conspiracy theories and some tricky true or false questions. See ya next week!