Redeemer Weekend Sermons

Abraham and IssacGenesis • July 9, 2023Teacher: Dave Brown--1. God's Promises to Abraham2. Abraham's Faith3. Jesus Foreshadowed4. Our Faith1. God's Promises to AbrahamGenesis 12:1-3 NIVThe Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”John GoldingayThe preparations presuppose that the making of a commitment between two parties can involve the tearing apart of an animal, which implies an enacted prayer: if I do not keep my commitment to this pact, may I be torn apart like this animal.Genesis 15:17-18 NIVWhen the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates…”Genesis 22:1-5 NIVSome time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”Genesis 22:15-18 NIVThe angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”2. Abraham's FaithGenesis 22:5 NIVStay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.3. Jesus ForeshadowedGenesis 22:17-18 NIVI will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.Genesis 22:2 NIVTake your son, your only son, whom you love—IsaacLuke 3:21-22 NIVWhen all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”John 3:16 NIVFor God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.4. Our Faith

MelchizedekGenesis • July 2, 2023Teacher: Dave Brown--Genesis 12:1-3 NIVThe Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”Genesis 14:18-20 NIVThen Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.Psalm 110:1-4 NIVThe Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!” Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy splendor, your young men will come to you like dew from the morning’s womb. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”Hebrews 7:11-28 NIVIf perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.1. Jesus is Our King2. Jesus is Our Priest3. God is Faithful

Blessed To Be A BlessingGenesis • June 25, 2023Teacher: Todd Theissen--Genesis 12:1-3 NIVThe Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”Genesis 22:15-18 NIVThe angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”

The Tower of BabelGenesis • June 18, 2023Teacher: Dave Brown--Genesis 11:1-9 NIVNow the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.God was concerned with the hearts of the people, not the height of the tower.Moving eastward is a euphemism for moving away from God’s intention.The Power of a Self-Centered CultureJohn ChrysostomThis is what the human race has lost in particular, not being prepared to recognize the limitations of its own condition but always lusting for more, entertaining ambitions beyond its capacity. In this regard, too, when people who chase after things of the world acquire for themselves much wealth and status, they lose sight of their own nature..and aspire to such heights that they topple to the very depths.JeromeWhen the tower was being built up against God, those who were building it were disbanded for their own welfare. The conspiracy was evil. The dispersion was of true benefit even to those who were dispersed.The Power of a Kingdom Centered CultureEphesians 4:1-16 NIVAs a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Noah + Ark: "God's Got a Plan!"Genesis • June 11, 2023Teacher: Leanne Benton--Genesis 6:5 NIVThe Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.GOD’S GOT A PLAN!We have a choice!Rev. Jasper WilliamsAll of the Bible is about Jesus...all 66 books, all 1179 chapters, all 31,173 verses in your Bible are all about Jesus. If you read your Bible and you do not see Jesus, then I challenge you to read it again. Because standing in the shadows somewhere is the Lord Jesus Christ.1. God Saves People By Grace.2. God Saves People Through Faith.3. God Saves People In Christ.1. God Saves People By Grace. Genesis 6:8 NIVBut Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.Grace is not a reward of the righteous.It is a gift for the guilty.Ephesians 2:8-10 NIVFor it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.2. God saves people through faith.Hebrews 11:7 NIVBy faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.3. God saves people in Christ Genesis 6:14 NIVSo make yourself an ark of cypress wood (gopher wood)......Make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.Pitch = Kopher = AtonementGenesis 6:15 NIVThis is how you’re to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high.Genesis 6:16 NKJVYou shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side.Colossians 3:2 NKJVSet your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value]. For you died [to this world], and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God.SubstanceSafetySizeStructureMatthew 24:37 NIVThen the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.2 Corinthians 5:17-19 NIVTherefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.

Cain and AbelGenesis • June 4, 2023Teacher: Dave Brown--AugustineFaith seeking understanding.Genesis 4:1-16 NIVAdam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”But the Lord said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.1. God's Presence2. A choice to make3. Disobedience4. Hope1. God's PresenceExodus 33:12, 14-16 NIVMoses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know _whom you will send with me_…The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”Matthew 1:22-23 NIVAll this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him _Immanuel” (which means “God with us_”).What gets communicated over and over again through Scripture is that God desires to be with you.2. A Choice to MakeGenesis 4:6-7 NIVThen the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”Ezekiel 2:3-5 NIVHe said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ And _whether they listen or fail to listen_—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them.Matthew 19:21 NIVJesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”3. Disobedience Ezekiel 2:3-5 NIVHe said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them.4. HopeGenesis 5:1b-3 NIVWhen God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created. When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.Revelation 22:1-4 NIVThen the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be i

Our StoryGenesis • May 28, 2023Teacher: Alison and Ryan Myers--Genesis 3:1-7 NIVNow the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Remember who God is and who we are.God always has & always will be seeking after us.Genesis 3:8-9 NIVThen the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?Romans 8:35, 38-39 NIVWho shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Our choices always have consequences AND God can redeem anything.Genesis 3:14-15 NIVSo the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals!You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Adam and EveGenesis • May 21, 2023Teacher: Dave Brown--1. Image bearers2. Made to work3. Helpers1. Image bearersGenesis 1:26-27 NIVThen God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.Gregory of NyssaThis same language was not used for (the creation) of other things. The command was simple when light was created; God said, “Let there be light.” Heaven was also made without deliberation…See how worthy you are! Your origins are not in an imperative. Instead, God deliberated about the best way to being to life a creation worthy of honor. How are we like God? Genesis 5:1b-3 NIVWhen God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created. When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth. Dietrich BonhoefferTo say that in humankind God creates the image of God on each means that humankind is like the Creator in that it is free…freedom is a relation between two persons. Being free means “being-free-for-the-other”, because I am bound to the other. Only being in relation with the other am I free. 2. Made to WorkGenesis 2:3 NIVBy the seventh day God has finished the work he had been doing, so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.Genesis 2:15 NIVThe Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. John GoldingayThe “work” will surely be a joy. We may have seen men “cultivating the land with such pleasure that it is severe punishment for them to be called away from it to something else,” even now when enjoyment of this work has been marred by humanity’s disobedience. The audience is invited to think of it as it was designed… Ephesians 2:10 NIVFor we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 3. HelpersGenesis 1:26-27 NIVThen God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 2:18 NIVThe Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” John GoldingayThe human being will need appropriate help…usually “help” denotes someone strong and powerful who can help by getting one out of a mess; the term nearly always refers to Yahweh.Deuteronomy 33:7 NIVAnd this he said about Judah: “Hear, Lord, the cry of Judah; bring him to his people. With his own hands he defends his cause. Oh, be his help against his foes!”Psalm 121:1-2 NIVI lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.Psalm 146:5 NIVBlessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their GodEphesians 5:31-32 NIV“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.

CreationGenesis • May 14, 2023Teacher: Adam Barnett--Genesis 1:1-2:3 NIVIn the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and 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. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. Millard EricksonCreation is the work of God in bringing into being, without the use of any preexisting materials, everything that is. Ex Nihilo: creation out of nothing. 1. The Bible places great emphasis on creation.John 1:1-3 NIVIn the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 2. Creation is a signifi

The Holy Spirit and One AnotherOne Another • May 7, 2023Teacher: John Wenrich--https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hhs.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fsurgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf&psig=AOvVaw3jh0XkxRUVQKjzhSfjcROv&ust=1683302109824000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CBEQjRxqFwoTCOCM_5iD3P4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAIDr. Vivek H. MurthyIn recent years, about one-in-two adults in America reported experiencing loneliness. And that was before the COVID-19 pandemic cut off so many of us from friends, loved ones, and support systems, exacerbating loneliness and isolation.Loneliness and isolation represent profound threats to our health and well-being. But we have the power to respond. A culture of connection rests on core values of kindness, respect, service, and commitment to one another. Everyone contributes to the collective culture of social connection by regularly practicing these values.Behaviors are both learned from and reinforced by the groups we participate in and the communities we are a part of. Thus, the more we observe others practicing these values, the more they will be reinforced in us. 1. The Holy Spirit is a person.John 14:26 NIVBut the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said.” 2. The Holy Spirit is God.Clark Pinnock“Modern Christians are largely content to be trinitarian in belief, but binitarian in practice.”Gordan Fee“God lives in eternal relationship with himself as a Triune God. The relational implications of this for us, both toward God and toward one another, should become a primary part of our paradigm of life in the Spirit as we live together. The Spirit is foundational to (our) entire experience and understanding of (our) present life in Christ.” 3. The Holy Spirit empowers us for mission.Acts 1:4, 8 NIVDo not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 4. The Holy Spirit is the key to compelling Christian community.2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”Galatians 5:22-23 NIV“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.Acts 15:28 NIV“It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…”Hebrews 10:25 NIV“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another…” 1. The Holy Spirit is a person.2. The Holy Spirit is God.3. The Holy Spirit empowers us for mission.4. The Holy Spirit is the key to compelling Christian community.

Forgive One AnotherOne Another • April 30, 2023Teacher: Adam Barnett--Matthew 28:5-7 NIVThe angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” E. Worthington“Studies are finding connections between forgiveness and physical, mental, and spiritual health and evidence that plays a key role in the health of families, communities, and nations.”“Unforgiveness, by contrast, seems to be a negative emotional state where an offended person maintains feelings of resentment, hostility, anger, and hatred toward the person who offended him.” Ephesians. 4:32 NIVBe kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.Dr. Dinenberg“The human body is an elegant, closed-looped system in which the symptoms we feel are an expression of what’s going on inside our bodies. The ‘tied up’ feeling we know all too well is actually a response to threat. The intelligent design of our organs pushes blood away from digestion because, in essence, digestion is needed less for survival than being able to run away or fight.”Don’t fight or flight. Forgive! Colossians 3:12-13 NIVTherefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselveswith compassion, kindness, humility,gentleness and patience. Bear with each otherand forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Matthew 18:21-35 NIVThen Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me?Up to seven times?” Jesus answered,“I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is likea king who wanted to settle accountswith his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay,the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be soldto repay the debt. “At this the servant fell on his knees before him.‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” There are no unforgiven or unforgiving people in the kingdom of God.Remembering my own forgiveness will motivate me to forgive others.

Serve One AnotherOne Another • April 23, 2023Teacher: Dave Brown--Galatians 5:13 NIVYou, my bothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.How do we serve one another in love?1. Be led by the Spirit.2. Be humble.3. Be a team player.4. Be an advocate for others.1. Be led by the Spirit.Galatians 5:16 NIVSo I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.2. Be humble.Philippians 2:1-8 NIVTherefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!Rick WarrenHumility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.C.S. LewisA really humble man will not be thinking about humility. He will not be thinking about himself at all. C.S. LewisIf anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. And a biggest step, too. At least nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed.3. Be a team player.1 Corinthians 12:12-14 NIVJust as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.4. Be an advocate for others.Galatians 5:14For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”Matthew 5:43-45 NIV“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.

Love One AnotherOne Another • April 16, 2023Teacher: Adam Barnett--John 13:1 NIVIt was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.The EXAMPLE:John 13:3-5 NIVJesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.The EXPLANATION:John 13:12-15 NIVWhen he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.The EXHORTATION:Romans 13:34-35 NIV“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.”Campbell Morgan“The measure in which Christian people fail in love to each other is the measure in which the world does not believe in Christianity. It is the final test of discipleship, according to Jesus.”1. Love God first.2. Rely on the Holy Spirit.3. Sacrifice and serve.1. Love God first.Matthew 22:37-38 NIVJesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.”2. Rely on the Holy Spirit.3. Sacrifice and serve.1 John 3:16 NIVThis is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

He has RisenEaster Sunday • April 9, 2023Teacher: Adam Barnett--Matthew 28:1-4 NIVAfter the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.Matthew 28:5-10 NIVThe angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” 1) We have been given the gift of salvation.Romans 6:23 NIVFor the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2) We are not condemned.Romans 8:1 NIVTherefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 3) We are expected to participate in mission.Acts 1:8 NIV“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Jesus, I believe in you. You are the resurrection and the life. I believe you died on the cross for me. I believe in your resurrection. Will you make me a new creation today? I am sorry for my sins. Please forgive me. I ask you to live in my heart and to fill me with your Holy Spirit. I want to live this life, and the life to come, with you. Through the name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior, I pray … Amen!

Maundy ThursdayApril 6, 2023Teacher: Adam Barnett--John 13:14-15 NIVNow that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.John 13:34-35 NIVA 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.Lord, clear your way in us to see what is important.Lord, have mercy.Lord, we give to you our resentment and our grudges.Lord, have mercy.Lord, we know that our spirit has not been that of Christ.Lord, have mercy.We have sown seeds of hate, bitterness, and resentment.Lord, have mercy.We have been disobedient and ungrateful.Lord, have mercy.We have listened to the powers of darkness.Lord, have mercy.We have neglected opportunities to share your love.Lord, have mercy.

Palm SundayApril 2, 2023Teacher: Adam Barnett--Luke 9:51 NIVAs the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.Luke 19:28-34 NIVAfter Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They replied, “The Lord needs it.”Zechariah 9:9 NIVRejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.Jesus is the Prince of Peace and came not to conquer men, but sin.Luke 19:35-38 NIVThey brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”Luke 19:39 NIVSome of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”Luke 19:40 NIV“I tell you,”he replied,“if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

The Kingdom of HeavenParables • March 26, 2023Teacher: Dave Brown--R.T. France"Chapters 11–12 have illustrated the growing divisions among men in their attitude to Jesus, culminating in the sharp contrast between true disciples and all others in 12:46–50. Division, and the problem of how some could reject Jesus’ message while others responded, are the underlying themes of this chapter too; the parables thus provide some explanation of the attitudes revealed in the preceding narrative."Matthew 13:44-46 NIVThe kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.What Makes the Kingdom of Heaven Treasure?1. The Character of the King2. The Values of the Kingdom3. The Culture of the KingdomMatthew 9:35-36 NIVJesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.The Character of the King1. Compassion2. Mercy3. Grace4. Righteousness5. Love6. SacrificalThe Values of the Kingdom1. Justice2. Peace3. FreedomCulture is how we do things around here.The Culture of the Kingdom1. Accepted2. Valued3. LovedWhat the kingdom of heaven does not invite us into is passive acquiesce. Rather, it confronts us with choice.

The Pharisee and the Tax CollectorParables • March 19, 2023Teacher: Daniel Bunn--Luke 18:9-14 NIVTo some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18:15 NIVPeople were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.Luke 18:35-39 NIVAs Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”Luke 22:24 NIVA dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.

The Seed and The SowerParables • March 12, 2023Teacher: Leanne Benton--Martin Luther“We need to hear the gospel every day because we forget it everyday."Mark 4:3-19 NIV“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow But when the sun came up, the plants are scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred times.” Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you.”Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Mark 4:18 ESV“And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desire for other things enter in and choke the word…” 3 Distinct Weeds:1. The cares of this world2. The deceitfulness of riches3. The desire for other thingsCares = Divided MindNeither riches nor poverty create heart.They reveal heart.Other things = ...and all the rest.John MacArthur“Some (want to) alter the seed, or manufacture synthetic seed. They try to update the message, tone down the offense of the cross, leave the hard or unpopular parts out. Many simply replace the gospel with a totally different message…But this parable is not about enhancing the quality of the seed, improving the skill of the sower, or finding a more elegant use for the farm. It’s all about the condition of the soil.” Good Soil:Luke 8:15 NIV“those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.”Matthew 13:23 NIV“who hears the word and understands it."Mark 4:20 NIV"hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop - some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown."

LostnessParables • March 5, 2023Teacher: Adam Barnett--Luke 15:2b NIV“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”Luke 15:7 NIV“I tell you that in the same way, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”Luke 15:10 NIV“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”Luke 15:11-16 NIVJesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.Matt Williams“To liquidate his portion of the estate and then to leave his family amounted to an act of the grossest disregard and disloyalty.”Luke 15:17-19 NIV“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’“I am no longer worthy.”Luke 15:20-24 NIVSo he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.Luke 15:25-27 NIV“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’Luke 15:28-32 NIV“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”A.J. Levine“They threw a party for the younger son, and they had enough time to call the caterer and the band before anyone told the older son.” 1. The nature of repentance.2. God’s unconditional love.3. Joyful welcome of sinners.Those who accept Christ must accept others accepted by Christ.1. Share God’s joy when any sinner repents.2. Do not give up on people when they turn away from God or family.3. Show patient love when someone snaps out of it and tries to make things right.4. Practice forgiveness, as you want God to forgive you.5. Avoid jealousy and selfishness when the celebration is for someone else.

The Good SamaritanParables • February 26, 2023Teacher: Adam Barnett--If you’re not feeling it, you’re not fasting it.Klyne Snodgrass“The parable is a metaphor or simile drawn from nature or common life, arresting the hearer by its vividness or strangeness, and leaving the mind in sufficient doubt about its precise application to tease it into active thought.”Klyne Snodgrass“Jesus’ parables are among the best known and most influential stories in the world. Even if people know nothing about Jesus, they either know about his stories or have encountered their impact in expressions like, ‘prodigal,’ or ‘good Samaritan.’ Jesus was the master creator of story, and nothing is so attractive or so compelling as a good story. Story entertains, informs, involves, motivates, authenticates, and mirrors existence.”1. The Kingdom of God.2. The Character of God.3. Expectations of God. Luke 10:25-28 NIVOn one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”Leviticus 18:5 NIVKeep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them.Luke 10:29 NIVBut he wanted to justify himself,so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”Leviticus 19:33-34 NIV“‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them.The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.Luke 10:30 NIVIn reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.Luke 10:31-37 NIVA priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”Matthew 22:36-39 NIV“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Why go to church when church can come to me?Asking for a Friend • February 19, 2023Teacher: Dave Brown--Dietrich Bonhoeffer"The antithesis between the Christian life and the life of the bourgeois respectability is at an end. The Christian life comes to mean nothing more than living in the world and as the world, in being no different from the world, in fact, in being prohibited from being different from the world for the sake of grace. The upshot of it all is that my only duty as a Christian is to leave the world for an hour or so on a Sunday morning and go to church to be assured that my sins are all forgiven. I need no longer to try and follow Christ, for cheap grace, the bitterest foe of discipleship…has freed me from that."On Sundays, we go to a building for worship. We don’t go to Church because we are the Church.What does it mean to be the Church?1 Thessalonians 1:1 NIVPaul, Silas and Timothy, to the church of Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Ekklēsia - Called Out Ones, assembly1. Participate in God's Kingdom.We are to live under King Jesus.We are to be an alternative culture.We are to be an indwelling fellowship.We are to live like free people.Romans 6:11-14 NIVIn the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.We are a dwelling place for God.Revelation 21:3 NIVGod’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.We are to act out of love.TertullianBut it is mainly the deeds of a love so noble that lead many to put a brand upon us. See, they say, how they love one another, for themselves are animated by mutual hatred; how they are ready even to die for one another, for they themselves will sooner put to death.

How is the Bible Meant to be Read Today?Asking for a Friend • February 12, 2023Teacher: Adam Barnett--How is the Bible, an ancient document, meant to be read today?Douglas Sweeney“The Bible is the written word of God, from the eternal word of God, and hangs together on the work of the incarnate Word of God.” STEP ONE: Research the World Behind the Text.Exegesis: the careful, systematic study of the Scripture to discover the original, intended meaning.2 Timothy 4:6-8 NIVFor I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.Do your best to come to me quickly. – 2 Timothy 4:9Do your best to get here before winter. – 2 Timothy 4:21 STEP TWO: Examine the World of the Text.Romans 12:1 NIVTherefore, 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. STEP THREE: Discern the World in Front of the Text.We cannot apply the Bible without knowing what it means, but we can know what it means and not apply it.John 14:21 NIV“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.”

MiraclesAsking for a Friend • February 5, 2023Teacher: Dave Brown--If God never changes, why do we not see miracles today?If God doesn’t provide a miracle that I asked for does that he doesn’t love me enough?What is a miracle?Why does God perform them?1. Peter’s Mother-in-Law2. A Man with Leprosy3. Water to WineLuke 4:38-44 NIVJesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39 So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.A miracle is the unnatural change in the physical, emotional, or spiritual condition of a person or thing.Luke 5:12-16 NIVWhile Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them…At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place.Crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.John 2:11 NIVWhat Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.Miracles are displays of God’s glory, not demonstrations of God’s love.J.I. PackerA miracle is an observed event that triggers awareness of God’s presence and power.We see miracles so often that we no longer recognize them.1 Corinthians 12:28 NIVAnd God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.

Is Jesus Really the Only Way to Heaven?Asking for a Friend • January 29, 2023Teacher: Adam Barnett--Is Jesus really the only way to heaven?Jesus is undeniably, unmistakably, totally, entirely, and absolutely the only way to heaven.John 14:1-7 NIV“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.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered,“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”Acts 4:12 NIVThere is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved. 1. Be thankful there is a name.2. Be a good steward of that name.

How do I live in purity in an impure world?Asking for a Friend • January 22, 2023Teacher: David Nunn--Cultural Changes Since 1963:1. Divorce rate- 1963: 3.5% of American households were headed by a divorced person. Today: 50%2. Out of wedlock births- 1963: 5% Today: 22%3. Illegal Drugs- 1963: 18 arrests per 100,000 AmericansToday: 300 arrests4. Religious values-1963: 1% had no religious preference. 50% attended church in the last week.Today: 31% claim no preference. 22% attend regularly5. Work ethic-1963: 98% of civilian men age 30-50 were part of the work force.Today: 81%How Do I Live in Purity in an Impure World?Psalm 119:9 NIVHow can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.Matthew 7:24 NIV“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock."Obedience is the key to purity.1. TREASURE the Author.Psalm 119:10 NIVI seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.Philippians 3:8-11 NIVWhat is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, 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 on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ — yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.2. TREASURE God’s Word.Psalm 119:11 NIVI have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.Joshua 1:8 NIVKeep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.3. PROCLAIM God’s Word.Psalm 119:13 NIVWith my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.

What does it mean to have faith in God?Asking for a Friend • January 15, 2023Teacher: Dave Brown--Hebrews 11:1, 13-16a NIVNow faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one.Faith is not about being right.We shouldn’t use legalism as our primary approach to evangelism.Romans 2:17-24 NIVIf you rely on the law and boast in God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”Faith is not about knowing all the right information.Faith is about developing a relationship with God.1 John 3:1 NIVSee what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!Michael ReevesThe very nature of God is to be affectionate, joyful, and bountiful; the Father rejoices to have another beside him, and he find his very self in pouring out his love. Creation is about the spreading, the diffusion, the outward explosion of that love. This God is the very opposite of greedy, hungry, selfish emptiness; in his self-giving he naturally pours forth life and goodness. He is, then, the source of all that is good…Goodness and ultimate happiness are to be found with him, not apart from him.Faith is about living a life transformed by our relationship with GodKarl BarthThe truth of Jesus Christ is not one truth among others; it is the truth, the universal truth that creates all truth as surely as it is the truth of God, the first truth which is also the ultimate truth. For in Jesus Christ God has created all things, He has created all of us. We exist not apart from Him, but in Him, whether we are aware of it or not; and the whole cosmos exists not apart from Him, but in Him, born by Him, the Almighty Word.1. We have a heavenly Father that loves us more perfectly than we could ever know or comprehend.2. My response to his love should be to love him back,3. To proclaim his love to anyone that will listen to me,4. And to do my best to live according to his truth as expressed in the Bible.Faith means having confidence in the promise of God.Revelation 21:1-4 NIVThen I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Why Does a Loving God Allow us to Suffer?Asking for a Friend • January 8, 2023Teacher: Adam Barnett--Redeemer is a safe space to ask questions because no one has all the answers!Caroline Westerhoff“Our danger lies in questioning too little rather than too much. After all, our questions can be the voice of God.”Why does a loving God allow us to suffer?God doesn’t want to hurt me, but He will use my hurts for my growth and my good.1. Suffering conforms us to Christ. I want to knowChrist—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrectionfrom the dead. – Philippians 3:10-112. Suffering completes us. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be matureand complete, not lacking anything. – James 1:2-43. Suffering produces hope. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. – Romans 5:3-5God uses hurts to shape hope.4. Suffering will one day end. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. – 1 Peter 5:10Romans 8:18 NIVFor I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.Revelation 21:4 NIVHe will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Hang in there.Let’s all hang in there together.

PrayerJanuary 1, 2023Teacher: Dave Brown--1 John 1:8-9 NIVIf we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Corporate ConfessionAlmighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and apart from your grace, there is not health in us. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare all those who confess their faults. Restore all those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to all people in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may now live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of your holy Name. Amen. Proclamation of Worship (Psalm 95:1-7 NIV)Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Common SupplicationFather of all mercies, have mercy on us. Some of us are anxious, exhausted, angry, and sad. We need your peace that surpasses understanding to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Be our refuge and strength; Be our very present help in times of distress.Great Physician, we pray for the elderly, the weak, and those with chronic conditions; For the poor, the hungry, and the isolated.Rock of Ages, we pray for the newly unstable: For those who have lost employment, family, or friends hide them in the cool shadow of your wings; Provide for them every good thing that you, as a good Father, know they need.Indwelling Spirit, empower your people to serve; To get wisdom, live by it, and share it freely; To embody peace amid the strife of this life; To present our bodies as living sacrifices; To suffer with Christ in patient endurance.Give us all fresh confidence that there is: No future where you are not present, No sorrow where you are not near, And no tears that you do not care about.And so we trust you, our generous Provider. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask these things,Amen. ThanksgivingAlmighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We thank you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life. But above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.We thank you for all these things. In the name of your precious Son, Jesus Christ.Amen.

Adam and Andrea Barnett share a powerful and moving reading of the Christmas story during our Christmas eve services.

JoyAdvent • December 18, 2022Teacher: Adam Barnett--Joy is the deep settled conviction that God is for us. Luke 2:6-11 NIVWhile they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. Hebrews 12:2 NIVFor the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. John 16:22 NIV“… no one will take away your joy.”

LoveAdvent • December 11, 2022Teacher: Adam Barnett--1 John 4:7-12, 19 NIVDear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We love because he first loved us. Christmas is God’s initiation of love with humanity, and as a result, within humanity.1) God initiated love with humanity. 2) God’s love is completed as we love one another.Jonathan Wilson“As we enter the kingdom of God, we enter into a salvation that is also the way of love. Love is a terribly spoiled term today, almost beyond rescue as a description of the good news of the kingdom come in Jesus Christ. However, the New Testament is full of the language of love, particularly as Christ exemplifies God’s love and enables that same love in us. Therefore, we must work to recover an understanding and practice of love.” 1 John 4:11 NIVDear friends,since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:12 NIV… if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

PeaceAdvent • December 4, 2022Teacher: Adam Barnett--Peace is not the absence of conflict.Isaiah 9:6 NIVFor to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.Luke 2:12-14 NIV“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven,and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”Luke 2:14 NIV“Glory to God in the highest heaven,and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”Peace is offered to all, but not received by all.Hebrews 13:14 NIVFor this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.1) Peace with God. 2) Peace within. 3) Peace with others.1. Peace with God.Romans 5:10 NIVFor if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.R.T. France“Our sin has put wrath between us and God, and a mere ceasefire will never suffice—we are not meant to live under the cloud of an uneasy standoff with God. Instead, Jesus became incarnate, died, and rose so that believers might be adopted into God’s own family and eat at the table with him in unbroken fellowship forever.”2. Peace within.Philippians 4:6-7 NIVDo not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.3. Peace with others.Romans 12:18 NIVIf it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.St. Francis“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love.”

HopeAdvent • November 27, 2022Teacher: Dave Brown--Webster DictionaryWish is to have a desire for something that is usually unattainable.Webster DictionaryHope is to desire with the expectation of obtainment or fulfillment.Isaiah 9:1-7 NIVNevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in bloodwill be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.John C. McDowellHope seeks to liberate humanity from all things that dehumanize it, act against needless suffering, and participate in God’s ”de-demonizing” of the world.1 Corinthians 15:20-23But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Karl BarthThe Christian perfect is not an imperfect; but the rightly understood perfect has the force of the future.Juergen MoltmannFaith, wherever it develops into hope, causes not rest but unrest, not patience but impatience. It does not calm the unquiet heart, but is itself this unquiet heart in man. Those who hope in Christ can no longer put up with reality as it is, but begin to suffer under it, to contradict it. Peace with God means conflict with the world…

Two looks at Matthew 6:13The Lord's Prayer • November 20, 2022Teachers: David Nunn and Kayla Canfield---David NunnJames 1:13-14 NIVWhen tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.Lord, protect me from myself.Psalm 141:4 NIVLet not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies.1 Corinthians 10:13 NIVNo temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.Deliverance is preceded by resistance. Effective resistance is preceded by submission to God.James 4:7 NIVSubmit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.Matthew 26:41 NIV“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak”Kayla CanfieldMatthew 6:13 NIVAnd lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.The evil one is not God’s opposite.Genesis 3:15 NIVAnd I will put enmitybetween you and the woman,and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.Matthew 26:38 NIVMy soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.Matthew 26:39 NIVMy Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.N.T. WrightThis is what obedience looks like when it stares evil in the face.1. We need to be reminded every day that following Jesus is hard.2. Our deliverance is already and not yet.3. We declare victory over evil.N.T. WrightTo pray ‘deliver us from the evil one’ is to inhale the victory of the cross.Matthew 6:9-13 NIVOur 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. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Forgive Us as We ForgiveThe Lord's Prayer • November 13, 2022Teacher: Adam Barnett--Matthew 6:12 NIVForgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.Matthew 6:12a NIVForgive us our debts.The moment we underestimate the grossness of sin, we undervalue the forgiveness of sin.Matthew 6:12b NIV… as we also have forgiven our debtors.Matthew 18:21-35 NIVThen Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”There are no unforgiven or unforgiving people in the kingdom of God.Forgiveness is not about keeping score. It is about losing count.Forgiveness is not denial or tolerance.Forgiveness is not always instantaneous.Forgiveness is an investment in yourself.Lewis B. Smedes“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”

Daily BreadThe Lord's Prayer • November 6, 2022Teacher: Dave Brown--Matthew 6:11 NIVGive us today our daily bread.Martin LutherWe are beggars, that is true.Exodus 16:3 NIVIf only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve the entire assembly to death.Exodus 16:4-5 NIVThen the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”Wesley HillWhen we come back to the Lord’s Prayer after hearing Jesus’ discourse on the bread of life and His flesh given to the world for eating, it becomes hard not to see Jesus Himself as the daily bread he encourages us to pray for.John 6:32-35 NIVJesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”John 6:53-54, 58 NIV“Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day…This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Your Kingdom ComeThe Lord's Prayer • October 30, 2022Teacher: Adam Barnett--Matthew 6:9 NIVOur Father in heaven, hallowed by your name.Matthew 6:10 NIVYour kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.Mark 4:11a NIVHe told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you.”The kingdom of God is the timeless reign of an eternal, sovereign God both in the hearts of His children and in the entire created universe.The kingdom of God is already, and not yet. Psalm 145:13a NIVYour kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.Mark 1:14-15 NIVAfter John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said.“The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”N.T. Wright“When Jesus spoke of God’s kingdom, he was not talking about a heaven for which he was preparing his followers, but about something that was happening in and on this earth, through his work, then through his death and resurrection, and then through the Spirit-led work to which they would be called.”

How to PrayThe Lord's Prayer • October 23, 2022Teacher: Leanne Benton--Matthew 6:5“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites, for they love standing in the synagogue and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have their reward in full.”Matthew 6:6“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”Matthew 6:7“Don’t keep babbling like pagans, for they think they’ll be heard because of their many words.”"Our Father...""Our Father in Heaven""Our Father in the Heavens"Matthew 10:29“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.”G Campbell Morgan (London, 1906)"Thus as I begin to pray according to the pattern which the Lord gives me, I find at the portal of my prayer a doctrine of God which assures me that nothing is beyond His reach, and nothing is too small for His presence and attention. Oh the infinite comfort of it!”Our = with whom we pray.Father = to whom we pray.In the Heavens = where He isHallowed be Your name = why we pray.1. God is worthy of our praise!2. Prayer and praise changes us.John Ortberg“When God is fully cherished, the heart is fully healthy, and the soul is fully whole.”Matthew 6:33“Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”3. Prayer and praise go together.PRAY. PAUSE. PRAISEPsalm 8:1Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!Psalm 72:9Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory.Psalm 145:3Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.1 Chronicles 16:34Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.Psalm 27:13I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.Psalm 33:5He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.Psalm 34:8Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.4. Prayer and praise is a form of evangelism.Dr. Robert WebberWorship Evangelism strikes at the heart of a very important current issue…Evangelism does not have to be severed from worship as though there is no relationship between the two. True worship is characterized by a converting power — what the ancient church called the “real presence;" what the contemporary church calls the “manifest presence” … that presence is not a gimmick, but a result of faithfulness to a worship informed by biblical principles, historically refined liturgy, and the intimacy of the contemporary.Prajakta David“In the life of the church, I truly believe that mission and worship are interdependent on each other. We worship God when we engage and participate in God’s global mission by loving our neighbors well.”Dr. Dave Kersten“God’s glory, neighbor’s good.”Matthew 5:16“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds AND glorify your Father in heaven.” Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Freedom in ChristA Firm Foundation • October 16, 2022Teacher: Dave Brown--John 8:31-36 NIVTo the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. Bob GoudzwaardIn its original sense, ideology means an entire system of values, conceptions, convictions and norms which are used as a set of tools for reaching a single, concrete, all-encompassing societal end.Bob GoudzwaardIdeology is religion’s substitute. It says: ‘As God I create my own norms and values. I saw what will benefit humanity. And I allow no god above or power below to make any other law. if only I had blank, then everything would be better. Covenant Affirmations PaperCovenanters have offered to one another theological and personal freedom where the biblical and historical record seems to allow for a variety of interpretations of the will and purposes of God. Major on the majors. Minor on the minors.

Touchstones from the Past Lead to God’s FutureA Firm Foundation • October 9, 2022Teacher: Dave Kersten--Touchstones from the Past Lead to God’s FutureIsaiah 51:1-6 NIV“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn; look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was only one man, and I blessed him and made him many. The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. “Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: Instruction will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations. My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.” 1st Touchstone - Where Is It Written?2nd Touchstone - How Goes Your Walk?3rd Touchstone - God’s Glory, Neighbors’ Good

Whole Mission of the ChurchA Firm Foundation • October 2, 2022Teacher: Adam Barnett--We Affirm a Commitment to the Whole Mission of the Church.What to Expect: Friendly, encouraging people in a welcoming atmosphere. Authentic, heartfelt worship in music. Celebration of life through the sacraments of Communion and Baptism. Relevant, Bible-based teaching. Engaging experiences for children. The WHOLE MISSION of the church requires the WHOLE CHURCH.“Mission is the work of the whole church on behalf of the kingdom of God. It is working with Christ for peace, reconciliation, justice, and evangelism. Mission encompasses freeing the captives, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and telling the good news. It is life-long work, and it is holistic.” The Great Commandment. Jesus replied:“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” - Matthew 22:37-40The Great Commission. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:19-20

Fellowship of BelieversA Firm Foundation • September 25, 2022Teacher: Adam Barnett--We affirm the Church as a Fellowship of Believers.1. The Church is not a holy building.2. The Church is not an exclusive club.3. The Church is not a weekly spiritual meeting.4. The Church is not a moral police force.The Church is a community of born-again believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord. In obedience to Scripture, we organize under qualified leadership, gather regularly for worship and the proclamation of the Word of God, and observe the biblical sacraments of baptism and Communion. We are united by the Holy Spirit, disciplined for holiness, and scattered throughout our community to fulfill the Great Commandment and Great Commission as missionaries to the world for God’s glory and our neighbor’s good. 1. We are a community of new creations. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. – 2 Corinthians 5:172. We submit to qualified leadership.They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. – Acts 2:423. We worship. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord.– Ephesians 5:19Worshipper: People who truly know God, and respond from the heart, with reverence and awe, by treasuring and enjoying God, and being satisfied in Him above all other things.4. We embrace and obey Scripture. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.– 2 Timothy 3:165. We revere the Sacraments. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19) and, He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).6. We are united. Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.– Philippians 2:27. We are disciplined for holiness. …Train yourself to be godly.– 1 Timothy 4:78. We love our neighbor. Jesus said, Love your neighbor as yourself.– Mark 12:319. We are on a mission.We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.– 2 Corinthians 5:20

The Necessity of New BirthA Firm Foundation • September 18, 2022Teacher: Dave Brown--John 3:1-9 NIVNow there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.John 13:16-17 NIVFor God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.1. Experience God’s Love2. Love God Back3. Love Your NeighborGenesis 1:26 NIVThen God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”Ezekiel 34:11-12; 15-16 NIV“‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness…I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak.”When we focus on fixing our actions instead of on falling in love, it’s as if we are trying to put our a fire by getting rid of the smoke.Rodney Whitacre“Even though one may be virtuous and have the Scriptures of God it is still possible to be alienated from God and closed to him…No matter how good their deeds appeared to be, these deeds separated them from God, and therefore the deeds were evil. This evil…is the pride and satisfaction of religious people. Who think they know God and yet are far from him.”Psalm 51:10-12, 17 NIVCreate in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me… My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

Conscious Dependence on the Holy SpiritA Firm Foundation • September 11, 2022Teacher: Adam Barnett--1. We affirm the centrality of the word of God.2. We affirm the necessity of new birth.3. We affirm a commitment to the whole mission of the church.4. We affirm the church as a fellowship of believers.5. We affirm the reality of freedom in Christ.6. We affirm a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit.2 Corinthians 13:14May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.Alister McGrath“The Trinity allows the individuality of the persons to be maintained, while insisting that each person shares in the life of the other two. An image often used to express this idea is that of a ‘community of being,’ in which each person, while maintaining its distinctive identity, penetrates the others and is penetrated by them.”St. Augustine“Each are in each, and in all each, and each in all, and all are one.”The Holy Spirit makes us one with Christ (Ephesians 2:19-22).The Holy Spirit inspires our mutual affection (1 Corinthians 15:58).The Holy Spirit gives us common purpose (Philippians 1:27).The Holy Spirit conforms us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-29).The Holy Spirit is our wise Counselor (John 14:26).The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin (John 16:7-8).The Holy Spirit is our source of power (Acts 1:8).The Holy Spirit guides to all truth (John 16:13).The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).The Holy Spirit seals our adoption as God’s children (Ephesians 1:13).The Holy Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-27).The Holy Spirit works to renew, sanctify, and make us holy (Romans 8:10-11).The Holy Spirit enables us to bear good fruit (Galatians 5:16-21).The Holy Spirit testifies to the life and teaching of Jesus Christ (John 15:26).The Holy Spirit dwells in us (1 Corinthians 3:16).Exodus 33:7-15 NIVNow Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.”Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent. Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”Exodus 33:15 MSGMoses said, “If your presence doesn’t take the lead here, call this trip off right now.”

Centrality of the Word of GodA Firm Foundation • September 4, 2022Teacher: Adam Barnett--Evangelical Covenant ChurchWe covenant with each other by cultivating communities of worship committed to prayer, preaching, and study of the word, celebrating the sacraments, and building relationships across gender, ethnicity, age, culture, and socioeconomic status. We equip loving, giving, growing Christians to reach out with the good news of Jesus Christ – evangelizing the lost, ministering to those in need, and seeking justice for the oppressed.1. Start and Strengthen Churches2. Develop Leaders3. Make and Deepen Disciples4. Love Mercy, Do Justice5. And Serve Globally1. We affirm the centrality of the word of God.2. We affirm the necessity of new birth.3. We affirm a commitment to the whole mission of the church.4. We affirm the church as a fellowship of believers.5. We affirm a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit.6. We affirm the reality of freedom in Christ.We affirm the centrality of the word of God.We confess that the Holy Scriptures, the Old and New Testament, is the word of God and the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine, and conduct.1. The Old Testament is the foundation of the New Testament.2. Scripture is the perfect foundation for faith.Phillip Spener“Thought should be given to a more extensive use of the word of God. We know that by nature, we have no good in us. If there is to be any good in us, it must be brought about by God. To this end, the word of God is the powerful means since faith must be awakened through the gospel. Therefore, the more at home the word of God is among us, the more we shall bring about faith and its fruits.”3. Scripture is the perfect foundation for doctrine.4. Scripture is the perfect foundation for conduct.If we are not shaped by the word, we are shaped by the world.Scripture is a complete document to awaken faith, form theology, and guide behavior.Donald C. Frisk“If we are to be trustworthy, we dare not tame the message, tone it down, or domesticate it. We dare not accommodate it to the spirit of the age or make it acceptable by blunting its cutting edge. Whenever we are lured into proclaiming a comfortable and thereby innocuous Gospel, our sin is visited on the generations to come.”

RomansRomans • August 28, 2022Teacher: Dave Brown--Romans 16:17-19 NIVI urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.John 17:20 NIV“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in my through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.”What unites us?Contemporary culture cannot unite usJohn 17:16 NIVMy prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.1. Comfort2. Control or Security3. Money4. Approval5. Success6. Social Approval7. Political Power8. Sex and Romantic LoveSelfishness destroys unityOur conscience cannot unite usRomans 12:2 NIVDo not be conformed to the patter 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.Genesis 3:5 NIVFor God knows that when you eat from ]the forbidden fruit] your eyes will be open, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. What can unite us?1. Submission to Christ2. The power of the Holy Spirit3. Actions defined by Scripture

Real LoveRomans • August 21, 2022Teacher: Adam Barnett--To be a living sacrifice isn’t just getting on the altar but staying there.How is our God-time in comparison with our Screen-time?Romans 12:9-21 NIVLove must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 1. Paul was concerned about the interaction between believers and the non-believing society.2. Paul was concerned about the strife within the Roman church itself.1. Love others and mean it (v. 9).2. Be devoted to others (v. 10).3. Show honor through humility (v. 10).4. Sustain spiritual passion (v. 11).5. Bless those who hurt you (v. 14).εὐλογέω = to speak well of.6. Live in harmony (v. 16).7. Don't get even (vv. 17-21). Deuteronomy 32:35 NIV“It is mine to avenge; I will repay.”Love others and mean it. Be devoted to others. Show honor through humility. Sustain spiritual passion. Bless those who hurt you. Live in harmony. Don’t get even.

Living SacrificesRomans • August 14, 2022Teacher: Adam Barnett--Romans 12:1 NIVTherefore, 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.Oswald Chambers“We have the idea that we can dedicate our gifts to God. However, you cannot dedicate what is not yours. There is actually only one thing you can dedicate to God, and that is your right to yourself. If you give God your right to yourself, He will make a holy experiment out of you — and His experiments always succeed.”To be a living sacrifice isn’t just getting on the altar but staying there.Romans 12:2 NIVDo 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.“Do not be conformed to this age.”1. Comfort2. Control3. Money4. Approval5. SuccessScott McConnell“It’s easy to think that those in Christian churches have chosen their God and are faithful to Him. However, pastors quickly acknowledge how divided their congregations’ allegiances can be. These gods don’t have a physical shrine, but they compete for the hearts of Christians.”Brennan Manning“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians: who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”Philippians 4:8 NIVFinally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Ingrafted BranchesRomans • August 7, 2022Teacher: Dave Brown--Romans 11:17-24, 30-32 NIVIf some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.1. Grace2. Justice3. Kindness4. MissionRomans 11:17 NIVYou…have been grafted in…and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive tree.”1. GraceJ.I. PackerThe grace of God is love freely shown towards guilty sinners, contrary to their merit and indeed in defiance of their demerit. It is God showing goodness to persons who deserve only severity, and had no reason to expect anything but severity.Romans 11:20-21 NIV…[branches] were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.2. JusticeRomans 11:22 NIVConsider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you provided that you continue in his kindness… 3. KindnessJames 2:14-17 NIVWhat good is it my brothers and sisters if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them. “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.Romans 11:31 NIVSo they too have become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy. 4. MissionCare WellTeach WellLead Well