3/20/16 Sunday Sermon Notes

As we prepare for the celebration of Resurrection Sunday (Easter), I'm continually reminded that most of the stuff we see in the stores, on TV, and even from some churches regarding Easter, actually has nothing at all to do with what Easter is really about.  Referring to this celebration as Resurrection Sunday reminds us that Christ is the reason we're celebrating.  And what a wonderful reason to celebrate! Christ bore our burdens on the cross, he died, and rose again on the 3rd day - just like he said he would.  Can you fathom that? And Over 500 people saw him alive again.  Our God's not dead, He's very much alive.

Make time this week to read through the account of Christ's death and resurrection and then join us on Sunday.  We'll have an early service at 8:30 am and then a breakfast potluck, followed by our  11:00 am service.  We'd love to see you there.

This past Sunday we continued studying what Jesus went through before his death on the cross and resurrection.  His soul was so troubled, yet He willingly bore the punishment of each one of us on Himself.  He is one with the Father, yet in his fleshly body He was obedient to the Father.



Scripture References

John 12:27-50  (ESV)

27 "Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." 30 Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 34 So the crowd answered him, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?" 35 So Jesus said to them, "The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. 37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, 38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" 39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said, 40 "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them." 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. 42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. 44 And Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment--what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me."

Matthew 26:38-39  (ESV)

38 Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me." 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."

Matthew 26:46  (ESV)

46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."

John 18:37  (ESV)

37 Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world--to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."

God’s Approval -  

1)  Matthew 3:17  (ESV)
     and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

2)  Matthew 17:5  (ESV)
      He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."

3)   John 12:28  (ESV)
      Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."

4)   Hebrews 2:9-10  (ESV)
      9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned   with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste   death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

The Light -

1)  John 12:35-36  (ESV)
     35 So Jesus said to them, "The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.

2)  John 12:46  (ESV)
     I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

3)  John 1:9  (ESV)
     The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 

4)  John 3:19  (ESV) 
     And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather  than the light because their works were evil.

5)  John 8:12  (ESV) 
     Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." 

6)  John 9:5  (ESV)
     As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

7)   John 11:9  (ESV)
      Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not  stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

8)   John 12:46  (ESV)
       I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

9)   Matt. 5:14-16  (ESV)
      "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a  lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Ephesians 5:8-11  (ESV)

8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Jesus and The Father -  
1)  John 12:44  (ESV)
      And Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent    me.

2)  John 12:49-50  (ESV)
     49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment--what to say and what to speak.  50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me."

3)  John 10:30  (ESV) 
     I and the Father are one." 

Have a blessed week and a wonderful, Christ-centered, Resurrection Sunday.  

3/13/16 Sunday Sermon Notes

We had another Sunday of wonderful teaching.  It started with our 9:45 am Bible study taught by Dan Kinniburgh and finished up with Pastor Randy teaching at 11:00 am about how Christ gave His life out of obedience to the Father.  What an incredible gift came to all of us from that obedience.  We struggle with things like complacency, mediocrity, and self-preservation - none of this has anything to do with Christ and what he did for us.  He died, was buried in a tomb, and rose again on the third day just as He said he would.  And that my friends, is what Resurrection Sunday (Easter) is all about.  It's not about chocolate bunnies and hunting for colored eggs.  It's about Jesus, only Jesus. We celebrate Easter because of who Christ is, and what He did, and He did it all for us. Hallelujah!

Scripture References:

John 12:20-26   (ESV) 
20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Daniel 7:13-14   (ESV)

13 "I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. 

John 2:1-5   (ESV)

1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

John 1:14-18   (ESV)

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'") 16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. 

Hebrews 2:5-8   (ESV)

5 Now it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere, "What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? 7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, 8 putting everything in subjection under his feet. "Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 

Isaiah 53:3-5   (ESV)

3 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 55:8-9   (ESV)

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Have a blessed week 

3/6/16 Sunday Sermon Notes

This past Sunday was a really sweet and precious time at our little church.  We were blessed to welcome two new members into our church family - Monty M. and Hana W.  We're so glad to have them both join us, and what a blessing it was to hear their precious testimonies.

Afterwards, we celebrated the Lords Supper followed by a make your own pizza lunch.

Dan continued in our study of Ephesians (Eph. 2) in Sunday School. It's a wonderful study. Our lesson was about the walls that we erect as a church and individually that keep us from fully walking with God and how Christ breaks down the wall - (I can't do it justice in a couple sentences, you need to come join the study yourself.)

Pastor Randy taught from Ephesians 4 which nicely tied-in with our Sunday School lesson.  Pastor taught regarding unity in the body of Christ and walking in a manner worthy of what Christ has done for us. Here's the text from the ESV (English Standard Version):

Ephesians 4:1-16

1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says, "When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men." 9 (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. 

Have a blessed week!

2/28/16 Sermon Notes

This week we continued in our study of the book of  Romans.  I love this study! This book beautifully, and clearly lays out the simplicity of what we must do to be saved.  And while the writer, the apostle Paul, is explaining salvation, he also points out not only our need for it, but also our inner struggles that keep us from it.

Pastor Randy explained that the law exposed our unrighteousness, but in God's ultimate love for us He sent us a Savior, His only Son, Jesus. We must walk in the Spirit, seeking to please the one who saves us; set your mind on the Spirit of God and walk in it.  We must determine whether we will follow God by His ways or not - the choice is ours (this is not verbatim - relying heavily on my slippery memory & sloppy notes ;).

Scripture Reading:  Psalm 63:1-4  (ESV)

1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. 3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. 4 So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. 

Romans 8:1  (ESV)

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:3-8  (ESV)

3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 

Hebrews 10:1-18  (ESV)

1 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Consequently, when Christ 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 had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds," 17 then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more." 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Romans 3:10-20  (ESV)

10 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." 13 "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." 14 "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." 15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known." 18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes." 19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. 

Romans 12:1-2  (ESV)

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

James 4:1-4  (ESV)

1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 

Well, that should give you plenty to ponder this week.  Determine whether you will follow the LORD or the world, because you can't follow both.  The dog you feed is the one that will grow stronger. 

Have a blessed week.