Sermon
Guides

Each week we'll have updated content for our
Adult sermon guides. 

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Liberating the Time, Being Filled by the Spirit
Text: Ephesians 5:15-21
Campus: Rivermont
 
Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit: speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.
Ephesians 5:15-21

Therefore, pay careful attention to how you all live - not as unwise people but as wise (15)

redeeming (Gk: “exagorazo” = liberating) the time, because the days are evil. (16)

So don’t be foolish, but discern what the Lord’s will is. (17)

And don’t be drunk with wine, in which is recklessness, but be filled by the Spirit: (18)

speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual poems (Grk: ode = poem, inspired by something beautiful, it is itself crafted with great beauty and skill), creating music and singing from your heart to the Lord, (19)

giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (20)

submitting to one another in reverence for Christ. (21)

Paul is giving us three ways of imagining how to live as if everything he has said about Jesus and his kingdom is true (Ephesians 4:17-5:2, 5:3-14, 5:15-21).

Paul in Ephesians is not trying to shape the moral practices of a religious community. He’s testifying to how the world really works, as revealed in Jesus, and how to bring more of his kingdom to this world.

Therefore, pay careful attention to how you all live - not as unwise people but as wise (v. 15)

redeeming (Gk: “exagorazo” = liberating) the time, because the days are evil. (v. 16)

redeeming (Gk: “exagorazo” = liberating) the time, because the days are evil. (v. 16)

So don’t be foolish, but discern what the Lord’s will is. (v. 17)

And don’t be drunk with wine, in which is recklessness, but be filled by the Spirit: (v. 18)

And don’t be drunk with wine, in which is recklessness, but be filled by the Spirit: (v. 18)

I pray that you all may be strengthened by the Spirit in you all’s inner person, that Christ may dwell in your hearts...to comprehend the love of Christ which surpasses understanding, so that you all might be filled up with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians: 3:16-17, 19

speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual poems (Grk: ode = poem, inspired by something beautiful, it is itself crafted with great beauty and skill), creating music and singing from your heart to the Lord, (v. 19)

giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (v. 20)

submitting to one another in reverence for Christ. (v. 21)

By the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the life for which we were made in God and his good world is possible, by grace through faith.

giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (20)

Obscenity, foolish talk, and crude joking have no place among you all. Instead, be [practice] grateful giving of thanks [to God].
Ephesians 5:4

How to Live a Life:
"Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it."
~Mary Oliver, Poet.

submitting to one another in reverence for Christ. (21)
______________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Called to Belong (Week 12)
Text: Ephesians 5:15-21
Campus: College Hill

Our lives last seventy years or, if we are strong, eighty years. Even the best of them are struggle and sorrow; indeed, they pass quickly and we fly away.
Psalm 90:10

Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.
Psalm 90:12

Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit:  speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord,  giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.
Read Eph. 5:15-21 (CSB)

Spirit-filled intentionality honors God and bears fruit in our lives and relationships.

1. Spirit-filled intentionality entails a commitment to honest self-examination and self-awareness (v. 15).
2. Spirit-filled intentionality is evidenced by good stewardship (v. 16).
3. Spirit-filled intentionality is the fruit of self-control and ongoing yielding to God’s Spirit (v. 18).

We yield ourselves to God and his Spirit when we continually surrender our independence, repent of our sins, and ask him to rule and reign in our lives.

speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,  submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.
Read Eph. 5:19-21 (CSB)

Spirit-filled, men and women, declare God’s truth to each other in their speech and through our songs.

Spirit-filled followers of Jesus Christ humble themselves and treat each other with reverence and respect because Christ is the ultimate authority over us.
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Preston Burling
Title: Called to Belong (Week 11)
Text: Ephesians 5:1-14 (CSB)
Campus: Rivermont
 
Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.
1 Ephesians 5:1-2
 
You are a dearly loved child of God.

Tension with the Christian Ethic? Questions to ponder:

1. Do I really believe that God knows what's best for me?
2. Do I really believe that God wants me to flourish?
3. Are God’s commands really motivated by his love for me?

 
As beloved children of God, we lead our lives from an authentic place of love, because in doing so, we imitate the very object of our faith - Christ.

But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks. For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Ephesians 5:3-5
 
Click here to see slide
 
Two warnings for Christians:

1. Don’t let these sins be heard or even “hinted at” among the saints
2. Those who practice these actions have no inheritance in the kingdom of heaven.

 
A life committed to things that bring decay cannot inherit the flourishing and abundant life.

Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. Therefore, do not become their partners. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth—testing what is pleasing to the Lord.  
Ephesians 5:6-10
 
Refusing partnership with the world isn’t about separation, it’s about distinction.

Oftentimes, the withering and decay that takes place in our soul won’t come from a direct sin act, but rather comes from a habitual routine of failing to discern what is pleasing to God.

Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. Everything exposed by the light is made visible, for what makes everything visible is light. Therefore it is said: Get up, sleeper, and rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
Ephesians 5:11-14
 
You are so deeply loved by God.

1. We imitate the love of Christ, because of the great love that God has for us.
2. Beware of the sins of this world that have no place for practice within the body of Christ.
3. Our ethical worldview is formed by “What is pleasing to the Lord.”
4. Allow the light of Christ to expose the darkness in us and in those around us. 

______________________________________________________________________
 
Sermon Notes: Matt Bradner
Title: Called to Belong (Week 11)
Text: Ephesians 5:1-14 (CSB)
Campus: College Hill

______________________________________________________________
 

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Called to Belong: Spiritual Formation for a New Humanity
Text: Ephesians 4:17-5:2 (CSB)
Campus: Rivermont

Therefore I say this, and testify in the Lord You should no longer live as the Nations live in the futility of their thoughts.
Ephesians 4:17

They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, and because of the hardness of their hearts.
Ephesians 4:18

They became callous and gave themselves over to a lack of self control, resulting in the practice of every kind of impurity and a desire for more and more.
Ephesians 4:19

There is a hunger for God and the good world he made in every human being.
But that is not how you came to know Christ, assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus,
Ephesians 4:20-21

to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.
Ephesians  4:22-24

Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor because we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the devil an opportunity. Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.
Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.
Ephesians 4:25-5:2

Obeying the commands of the Bible is not about religious duty, but about coming home to the life for which I was made, which is life in God and His Kingdom.

 There is no fear in love; instead perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment.
1 John 4:18

Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children,  and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.
Ephesians 5:1-2

Click here to see Old vs New Self

Has following Jesus become exhausting attempts at doing religious lists?

"You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves."
~Mary Oliver
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Called to Belong (Week 10)
Text: Ephesians 4:17-32 (CSB)
Campus: College Hill

Biblical Christianity is about a renewal of heart and mind, and a restructuring of life, through an encounter with Jesus.

Jesus equips us to cultivate relational harmony and peace by practicing humility, gentleness, patience, and love.
 
Therefore, I say this and testify in the Lord: You should no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thoughts. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because[a] of the hardness of their hearts. 19 They became callous and gave themselves over to promiscuity for the practice of every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more.
But that is not how you came to know Christ, assuming you heard about him and were taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.
Ephesians  4:17-24

Apart from Christ, our understanding is limited and our heart is hard (v. 18).

When Self is god, worship becomes the pursuit of happiness, pleasure, and security.
 
Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the devil an opportunity. Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need. No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear. And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.
Ephesians 4:25-32

If your thought patterns and heart passions don’t change, your forced behavioral changes will be short-lived.
Christians tell the truth - we don’t beat people down with the truth, we build people up with the truth (vv. 25, 29, 31).

Christians pay attention to their feelings and respond appropriately (vv. 26-27, 31).

Christians engage others with integrity, generosity, kindness, and compassion (vv. 28, 31-32)

We should be so in love with Jesus, and so intimately connected with him, that we reject the “former way of life” and allow Jesus to renew us from the inside out.
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Called to Belong: Oneness & Each Oneness
Text: Ephesians 4:1-16 (CSB)
Campus: Rivermont

Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received,
Ephesians 4:1

God’s plan to bring all things together in Christ, things in heaven and on earth in Him (1:10)

“The apocalypse of Jesus is when the bond between heaven and earth becomes visible to us.”
~Tim Mackie

The oneness of the church is the practical outworking of the revelation of Jesus to a watching world. (1:10, 2:11-22, 3:1-14)

Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making 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 at your calling—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 4:1-6

Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 For it says:
When he ascended on high,
he took the captives captive;
he gave gifts to people.
But what does “he ascended” mean except that he[b] also descended to the lower parts of the earth? The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, to fill all things.
Ephesians 4:7-10

And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
Ephesians 4:11

God gives leaders to the church to equip us to grow and mature into this reconciled community by guiding us to love Jesus and one another.

And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.
Ephesians 4:11-13

Leaders are a gift from God, given to equip and inspire oneness in Jesus when our differences threaten to divide us.

to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.
Ephesians 4:12-13

Leaders equip the church to be united around the revelation of Jesus and our relationship with Jesus (faith and knowledge).

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:2-3

Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ.
Ephesians 4:14-15

From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.
Ephesians 4:16

The Church is nothing if not a Gospel Community. As God in Christ has been to us in the gospel, so are we to one another, and that defines who we are.

When life is lived under the authority of Jesus and according to the way of His Kingdom, there will be an impossible oneness, for which only Jesus can take the credit.
______________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Called to Belong: (Week 9)
Text: Ephesians 4:1-12  (CSB)
Campus: College Hill

Ephesians 1-3 —> who we are in Christ.
Ephesians 4-6 —> how we are to live in Christ and in community.

Differences can appropriately confront our narrow understanding or limited reality, and they can compliment our limitations.

Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making 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 at your calling—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. For it says:
When he ascended on high,
he took the captives captive;
he gave gifts to people.
But what does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower parts of the earth?  The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, to fill all things. And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,
Ephesians 4:1-12

Unity is not simply a good (theoretical) idea - in Christ, followers of Jesus have a realistic pathway toward oneness.

Jesus transforms who we are and reorders our very identity.

What are some practical tools for cultivating unity in a hostile and divided world?

Humility: the way we think of ourselves which then translates into the way we view and treat others.

Gentleness: restrained strength; involves self-control.

Patience: enduring annoyances and challenges (“to have a wide and big soul” -~J. Chrysostom).

Love: agape, not a feeling or emotion but an act of the will.

making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace
Ephesians 4:3

We cultivate unity by renouncing self-centeredness, harshness, the tyranny of our own agendas and our idealistic expectations (Snodgrass/Merida).

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 4:4-6

Unity does not mean uniformity.

The practices that define our family, and set us apart from others, are humility, gentleness, patience, and love.

Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Ephesians 4:7

Apostle: Extend the Gospel
Prophet: Discern God’s will with Precision
Evangelist: Recruit
Shepherd: Nurture & Protect
Teacher: Understand & Explain

Click here to see slide

A healthy, and fruitful, church is one in which all of the unique members are united, contributing, growing, and maturing.

Preparing for Communion:
1) Where do I need to repent and receive the forgiveness of Christ?
2) What is one practice from today’s teaching that I can adopt in order to be more encouraged in my faith and to be a better reflection of the gospel to others?
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Nate Taylor | Emily Woody | Preston Burling
Title: Called to Belong: Prayer and Worship
Text: Ephesians 3:14-21 (CSB)
Campus: Rivermont

For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
Ephesians 3:14-17a

Questions for Reflection:

1. Am I motivated by God’s glory or mine?
2. Am I working by God’s power or mine?

 
I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:17b-19

Questions for reflection:

1. Do I live each day as one who is fully loved by God?
2. How have I experienced God’s love recently?

Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21

Knowing that God can do far above what we could ever ask or imagine:
Question: What is it that you need to ask the Holy Spirit to do in your life right now?
Action: Write it down, ask the Lord to do it by the power of the Holy Spirit, and drop off your card in a drop box.
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes
Title: Called to Belong: Prayer and Worship
Text: Ephesians 3:14-21 (CSB)
Campus: College Hill

For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us—to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:14-21

Prayer Prompts

• Where are you losing heart? How do we keep our hearts before the Father?
• What needs strengthening? Where is power already at work in us, inviting our participation?

Prayer Prompts

• Do I find myself living out of scarcity or abundance ?
• What does it look like for me to come home to the Father’s love?

______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Called to Belong: The Wisdom of Reconciliation
Text: Ephesians 3:1-13
Campus: Rivermont

as a plan for the right time—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.
Ephesians 1:10

“The apocalypse of Jesus is when the bond between heaven and earth becomes visible to us.”
~Tim Mackie

If hostile people groups are reconciled to God in Christ, then in Christ we are also reconciled to one another. Jesus reconciles us together by pulling us deeper into himself.

Ephesians: Individual and relational transformation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, as God in Christ is bringing all things together in heaven and on earth.

For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—
Ephesians 3:1

assuming you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that he gave me for you.
Ephesians 3:2

The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above. By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.
Ephesians 3:3-4

This was not made known to people[a] in other generations as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
Ephesians 3:5

The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Ephesians 3:6

So, then, I ask you not to be discouraged over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory.
Ephesians 3:13

I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power.
Ephesians 3:7

This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ, and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things.
Ephesians 3:8-9

“the incalculable riches of Christ” (v. 8)

The Wisdom of Reconciliation.

 “This is so that” (v. 10)

This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens. This is according to his eternal purpose accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 3:10-11

“...God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church…” (v. 10)

The reconciled church is the wisdom of God. In the diverse, yet loving community of the reconciled church, the wisdom of God is broadcast to the world.

This is so that the multi-faceted wisdom of God may now be displayed through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.
Ephesians 3:10

The Church is a prism by which to see the work of Christ on the cross in the past, and the future kingdom that God is bringing to this world.

Three Essentials for Becoming a Reconciled Community:

1. Grow in our cultural intelligence.
2. Grow in emotional health.
3. Persistent, passionate prayer.

______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Preston Burling
Title: Called to Belong: God’s Grace in the Cosmic Theater
Text: Ephesians 3:1-13
Campus: College Hill

Tragedy isn’t death from following Jesus. Tragedy would be life from resisting God’s call.

For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—assuming you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that he gave me for you. The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above. By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ. This was not made known to people in other generations as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power.
This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ, and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things. This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens. This is according to his eternal purpose accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him we have boldness and confident access through faith in him. So, then, I ask you not to be discouraged over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory.
Ephesians 3:1-13 (CSB)

For this reason, I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—assuming you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that he gave me for you.
Ephesians 3:1-2

Chapter 2 Suggests:
That one of the most spectacular pieces of evidence that the Kingdom of God is now here at hand is found in the fact that God has brought together hostile ethnic groups in Christ, starting with the Jews and the Greco-Roman gentiles.

assuming you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that he gave me for you. The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above.
Ephesians 3:2-3

Mystery: Refers to what is known only because God decided to reveal it.

By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.
Ephesians 3:4

This was not made known to people in other generations as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I was made a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power.
Ephesians 3:5-7

This mystery is the revelation found in Christ.
- More specifically –
The mystery is the significance of Christ joining together both Gentile and Jew unto himself.

God’s unfolding plan of redemption has always been set, from the very beginning - it has never wavered and it never will.

This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ, and to shed light for all about the administration of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things. This is so that God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens. This is according to his eternal purpose accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him we have boldness and confident access through faith in him. So, then, I ask you not to be discouraged over my afflictions on your behalf, for they are your glory.
Ephesians 3:8-13

Paul’s purpose:

1. To preach to the Gentiles the immeasurable riches of Christ.
2. To make plain and communicate this mystery of Christ to the Gentiles.
3. To make the wisdom of God known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.

“God calls us where our deep gladness and the world's deepest hunger collide.”
~ Frederick Buechner

Each one of us have unique stories, gifts, wirings and unique spheres of influence. God has called us to be responsible stewards of God’s grace within these things in those spheres.

It’s this uniqueness and your response to God’s purpose in you that unveils the multi-faceted, manifold wisdom of our heavenly father on grand, cosmic display to the heavenlies.

What you do with this good gift of God’s grace has profoundly deep and meaningful impact NOT just to the world around us - but also on the grand cosmic display in the heavenly theater for all of the universe to see.

How are we displaying this manifold wisdom of God through our own uniqueness by the grace that he has given us?

1. Grace is both the gift of salvation, But also the gift of ministry.
2. Grace doesn’t merely bring privilege, but always requires responsibility.

Identification with the cross is not optional and it’s always costly

Grace was costly for Jesus. By identifying with Jesus, grace will be costly for us.

tragedy will happen if rest becomes our ultimate goal. Rest is meant to be the reward, but that rest can only be found in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

“Rest is costly”
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Heart and Soul: Give
Text: Proverbs 11:24-26
Campus: Rivermont

One person gives freely,
Yet gains more;
Another withholds what is should be given,
Only to become poor.
A generous person will be enriched,
And the one who refreshes others will themselves be refreshed.
People will curse anyone who hoards grain for themselves,
But a blessing will come to the one who sells it.
- Proverbs 11:24-26

Now, the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but instead they held everything in common.
Acts 4:32

With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.
Acts 4:33

For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold,
Acts 4:34

and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need.
Acts 4:35

This is the counterintuitive wisdom of generosity: In the face of scarcity, practice generosity, and we will experience abundance.

4 G’s: Gather, Go, Grow, and Give

When we talk about GIVE, we mean the practice of generously stewarding our time, energy, and material resources according to the way of Jesus.

Wherever your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:21

Whatever we value and spend our time, energy, and money on - will influence the kind of person we’re becoming. And whatever our habits regarding our time, energy, and money, these things will either make us more or less generous and joyous.

A generous person will be enriched,

And the one who refreshes others will themselves be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:25

When we feel there’s not enough time, energy, or money, making a practice of giving in those ways cultivates generosity and creates abundance.

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."
Luke 21:1-4

We want you to know brother and sisters, about the grace of God that was given to the churches of Macedonia: During a severe trial brought about by affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. I can testify that they gave according to their own ability, and even beyond their ability, of their own accord…
2 Corinthians 8:1-3

Now as you excel in everything - in faith, speech, knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love for us - excel also in this act of grace.
2 Corinthians 8:7

The point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should do as they have decided in their heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:7-8

Now the One who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will also provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us.
2 Corinthians 9:10-11

Experiencing the generous love of God in Christ motivates generosity from the heart.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty, you might become rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9

The practice of giving helps us to place our hope in the God of All Comfort, rather the god of Comfort. ______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Heart and Soul: Give
Text: Proverbs 11:24-25; Acts 4:32-35
Campus: College Hill

Core Commitments of GCC Members:
gather, go, grow, and give.

Generosity is an act of obedience and a pathway toward refreshing.

One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withhold unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:24-25 (NIV)

Jesus held nothing back.

We sacrifice our time and money, and we use our gifts and resources because Christ sacrificed himself for us.
 
Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
John 13:1

Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common. With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them. For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold,and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need.
Acts 4:32-35 (CSB)

There was not a needy person among them.
Acts 4:34

What does all of this mean?
God is providing, but we’re not yet in a place where there isn’t a needy person among us.
 ____________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Heart and Soul: Grow
Text: Acts 4:32-35, Hebrews 10:23-35, Acts 15:35-41
Campus: Rivermont
 
4 G’s: Gather, Go, Grow, and Give.

01:DISCOVER, 02:BELONG, 03:EQUIP
 
NEXT {click to see slide}
 
GROW: In community
 
Now, the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but instead they held everything in common.
With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them. 
For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need. 
Acts 4:32-35
 
Holy-Spirit empowered practices shaped by the gospel create character deep within the community.

This practice of GROW is the Holy Spirit’s work of maturing us over time in every way - heart, soul, mind, and strength - as we practice the way of Jesus in the context of relationships.
 
Two postures of the heart which are necessary for growth in Jesus: humility and curiosity. 
 
Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23
 
And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works,
Hebrews 10:24
 
But Paul and Barnabas, along with many others, remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord.
After some time had passed, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the brothers and sisters in every town where we have preached the word of the Lord and see how they’re doing.”
Barnabas wanted to take along John who was called Mark.
But Paul insisted that they should not take along this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them to the work.
They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed off to Cyprus.
But Paul chose Silas and departed, after being commended by the brothers and sisters to the grace of the Lord. He traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
Acts 15:35-41
 
Listen to counsel and receive instruction so that you may be wise later in life. 
Proverbs 19:20
 
The way of a fool is right in their own eyes, but a wise person listens to counsel.
Proverbs 12:15
 
not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.
Hebrews 10:25
 
If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.
Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.
Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited.
Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, 8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross.
For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:1-11
 
Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.
Philippians 2:12-13 
 
Three main environments for growing in community:

• Gospel Communities (small groups)
• DNA Groups
• Equipping Groups

______________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Heart and Soul: Grow
Text: Ephesians 4:11-16
Campus: College Hill

And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.
Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.
But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ. From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.
Ephesians  4:11-16 (CSB)

Every follower of Jesus Christ is expected and equipped to grow.

“Grow” at GCC is about pursuing spiritual and emotional maturity in the context of community.

Every follower of Jesus Christ is expected and equipped to grow. (Eph. 4:13, 15)

until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness.
Ephesians  4:13

Being a Christians isn’t just about being saved from judgment, it’s about growing in maturity and becoming a whole and healthy human being.

What kind of growth?
1) We’re expected to grow in “unity in the faith.” (v. 13)
2) We’re expected to grow in the knowledge of Christ. (v. 13)
3) We’re expected to grow in speech and love. (v. 15)

But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ.
Ephesians 4:15

“Love without truth is sentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws. Truth without love is harshness; it gives us information but in such a way that we cannot really hear it. God's saving love in Christ, however, is marked by both radical truthfulness about who we are and yet also radical, unconditional commitment to us. The merciful commitment strengthens us to see the truth about ourselves and repent. The conviction and repentance moves us to cling to and rest in God's mercy and grace.”
~Tim Keller

What’s at stake if we don’t grow?

Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.
Ephesians  4:14

The healthiest growth takes place in community. (vv. 12-13, 16)

Environments to pursue growth in community at GCC:

• Gospel Communities.
• Equipping Groups.
• DNA groups.

- God created companionship and community for our good (Gen. 2:18a)
- God exists in community, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Gen. 1:26; Matt. 28:19; John 10:30; 2 Cor. 13:14)
- Jesus valued community and lived in community (Luke 5:1-11; John 17:22)
- The early church functioned in community (Acts 2:46-47, 4:32-35)

Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common.
Acts 4:32 (CSB)
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Heart and Soul: Go
Text: Matthew 28
Campus: Rivermont

The Church is a Spirit-filled, gospel-centered, community living on mission with God.

When we say GO: individual, and collective, commitment to God’s global mission (the Great Commission).

Click her to see slide

The mission of every follower of Jesus Christ is to demonstrate and declare the love of God and the hope of the resurrection.

After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards were so shaken by fear of him that they became like dead men.
The angel told the women, “Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here. For 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 indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see him there.’ Listen, I have told you.”
So, departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell his disciples the news.
Matthew 28:1-8 (CSB)

The two-fold pattern of the Christian life:
1) Come and see (v. 8)
2) Go and tell (v. 9)

Christianity is an invitation to follow a risen, and living, Savior who is actively working in our lives today through his Holy Spirit.

We stay at the empty tomb - we go and tell others the good news.

The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 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,  teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20 (CSB)

GCC exists to glorify God by making disciples who love God, grow in community, and reach out to others with the love of Christ.

Who is sent out to make disciples? —> All of us.

Where do we make disciples? —> Among all of the nations.

How do we make disciples?
1) Baptize
2) Teach

Discipleship is helping people who are far from God, and who have a warped identity, to find a new identity in Christ.

Discipleship is teaching others the way of Jesus and everything that he commanded us to do.

Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common. 33 With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them. 34 For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need.
Acts 4:32-35 (CSB)

United in friendship and purpose (Acts 4:32)
Committed to ongoing gospel proclamation (Acts 4:33)
Overflowing with grace and exceedingly generous (Acts 4:32b, 33-35)
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Heart and Soul: Go
Text: Acts 4:32-25; Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20 (CSB)
Campus: College Hill

4 G’s: Gather, Go, Grow, and Give
 
01:DISCOVER
02:BELONG
03:EQUIP
 
Go - witnessing to the resurrected Jesus, living all of life on mission.
 
Now, the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but instead they held everything in common.
With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.
Acts 4:32-33
 
“All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 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, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20
 
The Great Commission is every follower of Jesus making disciples by demonstrating and declaring the love of God and the hope of the resurrection.

After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards were so shaken by fear of him that they became like dead men.
The angel told the women, “Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see him there.’ Listen, I have told you.”
So, departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell his disciples the news. Just then Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came up, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus told them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”
Matthew 28:1-10
 
We cannot be witness to what we have not experienced. And, if we have experienced the love of God in the Risen Jesus, then we can’t help talking about it.
 
Do I know Jesus? Or have I simply settled for knowing about him?
 
When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted.
Matthew 28:17
 
Jesus came near to them…
Matthew 28:18
 
When the anxious energy of doubt is converted into a hunger and thirst for the Living God, then we are poised for a work of renewal, worship, and delight.
 
Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.
James 4:8
 
The Church of Jesus Christ is a gospel-centered, Spirit-filled, family of people who practice the way of Jesus together, and who live all of life as witnesses to the resurrected Jesus.
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes:  Brenton Lehman
Title: Heart and Soul: Gather
Text: Acts 4:32-27
Campus: Rivermont

God has raised this Jesus from the dead; we are all witnesses of this...Therefore let every person here know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.
Acts 2:32, 34

The Church of Jesus Christ is a gospel-centered, Spirit-filled, family of people who practice the way of Jesus together, and who live all of life as witnesses to the resurrected Jesus.

NEXT
If you are brand new to GCC, this is for you. We’ll share more of the nuts and bolts of our mission and vision, and how to get connected, and ask questions. Just a few minutes after the gathering, right here in the room.

4 G’s: Gather Go, Grow, and Give.

01:DISCOVER, 02:BELONG, 03:EQUIP.

GATHER: Corporate Worship

Now, the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but instead they held everything in common.
With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.
For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brough the proceeds of what was sold,
and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need.
Acts 4:32-35

Holy-Spirit empowered practices shaped by the gospel create character deep within the community.

4 G’s: Gather Go, Grow, and Give.
 
GATHER: Corporate Worship.

Hallelujah!
I will praise the Lord with all my heart
in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.
The Lord’s works are great,
studied by all who delight in them.
All that he does is splendid and majestic;
his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate.
He has provided food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
He has shown his people the power of his works
by giving them the inheritance of the nations.
The works of his hands are truth and justice;
all his instructions are trustworthy.
They are established forever and ever,
enacted in truth and in uprightness.
He has sent redemption to his people.
He has ordained his covenant forever.
His name is holy and awe-inspiring.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his instructions have good insight.
His praise endures forever.
Psalm 111:1-10

Immersion in the story of God, the presence and power of God, among the people of God is what the gathering is all about.

Three Reasons to Practice Gathering in Corporate Worship:
Worship
Formation
Witness

Reason #1: Worship
We gather to be filled with the Spirit as we worship Jesus.

We gather in worship to express allegiance to Jesus alone.

Gathered worship with the people of God is active defiance against a bankrupt pantheon of lesser gods worshipped by the culture around us.

Our relationships and our consistent practices over time are the things that shape who we are more than anything else.

Reason #2: Formation.
And in the gathering, God fills us with his Spirit in worship, he forms us as a family overtime.

We gather in corporate worship to reimagine our story inside of God’s story. This practice of spiritual formation syncs up our lives with the life of Jesus.

With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them.
Acts 4:33

Reason #3: Witness
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Heart and Soul: Gather
Text: Acts 4:32-36
Campus: College Hill

How do we view the church?
How do we view each other?
What are our commitments to Christ, each other, and to the world?

The Church is a gospel-centered community of people who are living on mission with God.

Jesus is alive and he’s establishing a new family.

God has raised this Jesus; we are all witnesses of this. Therefore, since he has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, he has poured out what you both see and hear. For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says:
The Lord declared to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.”
Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.
Acts 4:32-36 (CSB)

How did that first century family look and function?
United in friendship and purpose (v. 32)

How did that first century family look and function?
Committed to ongoing gospel proclamation (v. 33)

How did that first century family look and function?
Overflowing with grace and exceedingly generous (vv. 32b, 33-35)

Church = ecclesia: “assembly” or “gathering.”
 
Why gather?
1) Corporate gatherings are an opportunity to give witness to the resurrection.

Why gather?
2) Corporate gatherings are a time of intentional spiritual formation.

Consider some of the practices of the early church.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.
Acts 2:42 (CSB)

And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (CSB)
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: From Alienation to Reconciliation
Text: Ephesians 2:11-22
Campus: Rivermont

“The apocalypse of Jesus is when the bond between heaven and earth becomes visible to us.”
~Tim Mackie

Ethnic Reconciliation is the great sign of the presence and power of God.

So then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles (ethnē, ethnic alienation) in the flesh - called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands.
At that time you were without Christ, alienated (ἀπηλλοτριωμένοι) from the the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God (atheos) in the world.
Ephesians 2:11-12

This is the problem: The pain of alienation and hostility.

Alienation - meaning, to be excluded from the community, without God, without hope in the world.

Alienation from God breeds alienation from ourselves and from others.

When we ourselves are hurting, we tend to hurt others

How have I experienced alienation from God, myself, or others?

But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
For he himself is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, he made of no effect the Law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new humanity from the two, resulting in peace.
He did this so that he might reconcile (ἀποκαταλλάξῃ) both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.
He came and proclaimed the good news (εὐαγγελίζω) of peace to you who were far off (outsiders) and peace to those where near (insiders).
For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
Ephesians 2:13-18

The solution: Reconciliation & peace through the cross

If we are reconciled to God in Christ, then in Christ we are also reconciled to one another.

Our hope for racial reconciliation is this: Jesus reconciles us together by pulling us deeper into himself.

Preaching the gospel to insiders is just as vital to racial and ethnic reconciliation, as preaching the gospel to outsiders.

So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.
In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:19-22

This place where hostility is replaced with humility, and enmity is replaced with empathy, where criticism gives way to compassion in Jesus, this Paul is saying, is where the Spirit of God dwells. Where heaven and earth collide.  This is the kingdom of God.

What if we were committed to the work of racial reconciliation and healing as a normal part of our discipleship?
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Called to Belong (Week 6)
Text: Ephesians 2:11-22
Campus: College Hill

So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace.He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death. He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.  In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.  In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.
Ephesians 2:11-22 (CSB)

For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
Ephesians  2:8-10

The gospel paves the way for a new, diverse, and counter-cultural family, one where radically different outsiders become redeemed insiders.

The gospel transcends our human divisions; divisions we impose and ones that are imposed on us.

1) The problem - alienation, hostility, and hopelessness (vv. 11-12)

So, then, remember that at one time you were Gentiles in the flesh—called “the uncircumcised” by those called “the circumcised,” which is done in the flesh by human hands. At that time you were without Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world.
Ephesians  2:11-12

Paul is directly addressing: 1) cultural/ethnic divisions, and 2) a dual alienation which culminates in hostility and hopelessness.

2) The solution - reconciliation and peace through Christ and the cross (vv. 13-18)

But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace. He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death. He came and proclaimed the good news of peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
Ephesians  2:13-18

Christ shatters the divisions that are in place as a result of sin and the absence of God in our lives.

Ethnic (racial) reconciliation happens as Jesus pulls all of us deeper into himself.

“Imagine all the people, living for today…imagine all the people, living in peace…imagine all of the people, sharing all of the world.”
~John Lennon, “Imagine”

3) The outcome - a new family and a new structure for life (vv. 19-22)

So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household,
Ephesians  2:19

This passage confronts our Western individualism
This passage confronts all forms of racism and classism
This passage gives us a present way of operating based on Christ’s past sacrifice and our hopeful future
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Matt Bradner
Title: Called to Belong (Week 5)
Text: Ephesians 2:8-10
Campus: Rivermont

For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
Ephesians 2:8-10
______________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Austin Whiteheart
Title: Called to Belong (Week 5)
Text: Ephesians 2:8-10
Campus: College Hill

Two needs that every human desires: security and significance

Security: unwavering acceptance, feeling safe, belonging, knowing you are loved
Significance: purpose, a reason for being and doing
 
We are designed to seek security and significance, but we will never truly find either outside of Jesus.
 
For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
Ephesians 2:8-10
 
Grace = unmerited (or un-earned) favor, loving-kindness, delight, benefit, gifts, good will
 
Faith = belief + trust; or to rely on someone or something
 
Biblical Faith is believing and trusting that Jesus is who He says He is, and that He does what He says He does.
 
and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
 
Any teaching or religion that promotes the idea that you can somehow do good things, pay money, or attain a high status to earn salvation is not true Christianity; it’s not the true good news of Jesus.
 
The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:22-24
 
Now to the one who works, pay is not credited as a gift, but as something owed. But to the one who does not work, but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited for righteousness.
Romans 4:4-5
 
God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses.
Ephesians 2:4-5, underline added for emphasis
 
This is security. This is grace. He freely offers us salvation out of His love for us; we cannot earn it and we cannot un-earn it.  It is His gift to us, that He gave because He loved us, received through faith in Jesus.
 
When you place your faith in Jesus, God makes you one of His children, and He will not abandon His children.
 
You cannot live out verse 10 until you are resting in the grace of Jesus.
 
“Religion: I obey therefore I am accepted.
Gospel: I'm accepted therefore I obey.”
~Tim Keller
 
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10
 
God gives us a new life and purpose that will glorify Him and benefit others.
 
Workmanship = masterpiece, beautiful work of art, amazing creation
Good = righteous, upright, valuable, useful, beneficial, beautiful or pleasing
Works = deeds, actions, that which one undertakes to do
 
This is purpose and significance: The most fulfilling life we could ever have is resting in the immovable love and Grace of God, using the gifts He has given us to benefit others and show the world how awesome He is.
 
Application:

• Have you placed your faith in Jesus, trusting Him alone for your salvation?
• Is there any area of your life where you are not resting in His grace and love right now? 
• Do you prioritize “doing for God (or staying busy)” over “being with God”? Our good works will always flow out of our love for God and resting in His grace.  
• What gifts and desires has God given you? Does it please God and benefit others? Start to work through this in a community of believers.
• Pray and ask Him for opportunities to use your gifts, talents, and desires where you are right now.

______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Preston Burling
Title: Called to Belong (Week 4)
Text: Ephesians 2:1-7
Campus: Rivermont

Click here to see slide

Today is a Celebration of Biblical Realities

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.”
Ephesians 2:1-3 CSB

“You” – Gentiles (v. 1)
“We” – Jews (v. 3)
Big Picture - We Were All Spiritually Dead (vv. 1-3)

“Mostly dead is slightly alive. All dead, you can’t do anything.”
~Miracle Max

Why does Paul address our life prior to Jesus?

1. Apart from Christ - different paths of human failure still lead to the same fatal cliff edge.

Why does Paul address our life prior to Jesus?

1. Apart from Christ - different paths of human failure still lead to the same fatal cliff edge.
2. You can’t believe in new life if you never believed you once were dead.

Do you know what happens when you mix cultural amnesia with finding ultimate meaning within oneself?
You are left with an inability to reckon with the denial of self, which puts one at opposition with the gospel message.

Why does Paul address our life prior to Jesus?

1. Apart from Christ - different paths of human failure still lead to the same fatal cliff edge.
2. You can’t believe in new life if you never believed you once were dead.
3. Paul creates tension to set the stage for his main emphasis and point - the work of God in Christ.

But, God.

“These two words, they will save your soul.”
-James Montgomery Boice

“These two words contain the whole gospel of Christ.”
-Martin Lloyd Jones

Your testimony is the good news about what God has done for you.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4-7 CSB

Celebrations:

1. God has called you to and promised you abundant life in Christ.

Our being raised with Christ in the past, is to be “co-resurrected” with Christ in the present.

Celebrations:

1. God has called you to and promised you abundant life in Christ.
2. We have received an undeserved, loving commitment from God through his gift of grace.

Celebrations:

1. God has called you to and promised you abundant life in Christ.
2. We have received an undeserved, loving commitment from God through his gift of grace.
3. By reflecting on the fact that we were once spiritually dead, we are reminded of God’s rich mercy, his great love, and his immeasurable kindness toward us.

______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Called to Belong (Week 4)
Text: Ephesians 2:1-7
Campus: College Hill

Ephesians 2:1-7 is one sentence:
the subject of the sentence is “God” (in v. 4) and the main verb is “made us alive” (v. 5).

1) BIOS: basically refers to existence.
2) ZOE: is a much higher understanding of life; a quality of life that nothing can destroy.

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
John 10:10

1) Apart from Christ, we are spiritually dead (vv. 1-3).
2) In Christ, we are made fully alive (vv. 4-7).

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient.  We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.  But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us,  made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,  so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:1-7 (CSB)

1) Apart from Christ, we are spiritually dead (vv. 1-3).

God’s Story:
Creation (in Gen. 1 and 2),
Fall (Gen. 3),
Redemption (Jesus),
New-Creation (Rev. 21-22)

…sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.
Romans  5:12 (CSB)

God approaches sin with fierce justice and scandalous grace.

God’s justice is not absent of grace.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us,  made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!  He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,  so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 2:4-7 (CSB)
 
2) In Christ, we are made fully alive (vv. 4-7).

“But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 (CSB)

So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.”
But the father told his servants, “Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” So they began to celebrate.
Luke 15:20-24 (CSB)

God has displayed such radical grace toward us so we might be the demonstration of his grace, from now, for all of eternity.

Conclusion:
Abundance isn’t something that we can manufacture; it’s not based on us, or our performance, it’s based entirely on the character of God.

Application:
If you are not a follower of Jesus, you can receive abundant life by confessing your sins and inviting Jesus to be the Lord of your life.

If you are a follower of Jesus, let’s orient our hearts in two ways: 1) gratitude toward God, and 2) grace toward others.
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Called to Belong: Praying for the Apocalypse of Jesus
Text: Ephesians 1:15-23
Campus: Rivermont

“Ephesians is an Essay summarizing the most apocalyptic event in history - Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and the gift of the Spirit to bring new creation right here in the present world.”
~Tim Mackie, The Bible Project

“An apocalypse is when the bond between heaven and earth becomes visible to us.”
~Tim Mackie

What if the family or cultural story we have heard (about our lives and the world around us) was only a shadow of a grander, more glorious story, full of redemption & love, abundance & grace, power & joy?
He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ as a plan for the right time—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.
Ephesians 1:9-10

This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,  I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.
Ephesians 1:15-16

“Faith” in the Bible: allegiance to Jesus, demonstrated in a way of life.

Father, we pray for wisdom - divine insight, given to us by the Spirit of God, to experience the reality of heaven on earth right now, in Jesus.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.
Ephesians 1:18-19

Two Realities in Paul’s Mind:

1. The Reality of our world now: Evil and Sin, death, violence, brokenness.
2. The Reality of the future: Justice & Love, life, peace, blessing (wholeness)

Hope in the Bible: is a present practice, anchored in a future reality. Because I’m certain of this future, I practice and embody hope now.

Prayer: Father, bring more of heaven to earth, more your kingdom, more of your glory, more of your heart to our lives, my families, this church, and city. Fill us with hope, make up people of hope.

He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens—far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.
Ephesians 1:20-23

Father, open the eyes of our heart to know from experience resurrection power that is already at work in us and the world now, in Christ.
______________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Called to Belong (Week 3)
Text: Ephesian 1:15-23
Campus: College Hill

What does it mean to be a Christian?
Why would someone want to be a Christian?

Three unhelpful ways that Christians historically respond to cultural change: fight, run, or assimilate with culture (James Hunter, Tim Keller).

Being a Christian is the distinct identity of those who love, and follow, Jesus and those who display love, and compassion, across social, cultural, and ethnic boundaries.
Faith in Jesus and love for the saints are foundational to our Christianity because they shape the different expressions of our Christianity.
This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers.
Ephesians 1:15-16 (CSB)

You cannot be an authentic Christian without faith in Jesus.

Love is one of the core characteristics of God, and it defines God’s children.

Gospel-centered love authenticates our faith.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:35

What is your relationship with other Christians telling the world about Jesus?
Paul prays:
1) that they would see God clearer and know him better,
2) that they would know, and experience, the benefits of the gospel.

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.
Ephesians 1:17-19 (CSB)

Enlightenment, hope, and true transformational power is found in Jesus.

“…what is the hope of his calling…what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints…what is the immeasurable greatness of his power…(Eph. 1:18-19)”

What is it today that’s distracting us from Jesus?
What is it today that is discouraging us in life and faith?

There are no problems, and no pain, greater than the comfort, and the power, that’s found in Jesus.

He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens—far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.
Ephesians 1:20-23 (CSB)

Our hope must be rooted in something lasting and true - and for Christians, that’s Jesus.
1) Pray that we would see God clearer and know him better,
2) Pray that we would know, and experience, the benefits of the gospel.

Christians must remain faithful to Christ and display his presence in their homes, community, and world.
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Called to Belong: Apocalypse Now
Text: Ephesians 1:3-14
Campus: Rivermont

The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above.
Ephesians 3:3
 
By reading this you are able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ.
Ephesians 3:4
 
"Ephesians is an Essay summarizing the most apocalyptic event in history - Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, and the gift of the Spirit to bring new creation right here in the present world."
~Tim Mackie, The Bible Project
 
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will:
To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus[a] at Ephesus.
Ephesians 1:1
 
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:2

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3
 
“An apocalypse is when the bond between heaven and earth becomes visible to us.” 
~Tim Mackie 
 
For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.
Ephesians 1:4-6
 
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace  that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.
Ephesians 1:7-8
 
In Christ, right here and now we have liberation from sin and its effects, peace in our hearts and in the world, through his blood. Forgiveness of all everything we’ve ever done wrong. And isn’t it just like him to give us more grace than we can stand, at just the right time in just the right way?
Another reading of Ephesians 1:7-8
 
He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ as a plan for the right time[e]—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.
In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory.
Ephesians 1:9-12
 
In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:13-14
 
“An apocalypse is when the bond between heaven and earth becomes visible to us.” 
~Tim Mackie 
 
What if the family or cultural story we have heard was only a shadow of a grander, more glorious story, full of redemption & love, abundance & grace, power and joy?
This is our story! In Christ, this is our inheritance, this is ours. It belongs to us, because we belong to Christ. We are a brand new family, a totally different culture, living in the true and better story.
 
Taking Communion 
 
LEADER: Take the bread, which is the body of Christ, broken for us. And let’s say this blessing from Ephesians 1:3-4 together:
 
GROUP: “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every Spiritual Blessing in the heavens in Christ. For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.” 
Ephesians 1:3-4
 
LEADER: This is the body of Jesus, broken for us. Take it and eat, in remembrance of him.
 
*Take the elements*
 
LEADER: Take the cup, which is the blood of Christ, spilled for us. And let’s say this blessing from Ephesians 1:7-10 together:
 
ALL: “In Christ, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. All of this was according to his plan - to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.” 
Ephesians 1:7-10
 
LEADER: This is the blood of Jesus, spilled for us. Take it and drink, in remembrance of him. 
 
LEADER: Pray
 
*Return to seats when finished*
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes:  Tim Geisland
Title: Ephesians: Called to Belong (Week 2)
Text: Ephesians 1:3-14
Campus: College Hill

Ephesians has two parts:

1. Who we are In Christ (chapters 1-3)
2. How we are to live for Christ In Community (chapters 4-6)

What does it mean to be a gospel-centered community?
 
“Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this. Whether it is a brief, single encounter or the daily fellowship of years, Christian community is only this. We belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ.”
~Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together
 
“The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community.”
~Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together
 
Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3
 
Notice 4 things in verse 3:
1. Paul begins with God, not us.
Oh, the depth of the riches and the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments and untraceable his ways!
For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?
And who has ever given to God, that he should be repaid?
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.
Romans 11:33-36

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3
 
2. The Gospel begins with God blessing us. 
For 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.
Ephesians 2:8-9
 
May God be gracious to us and bless us; may he make his face shine upon us so that your way may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.
Psalms 67:1-2

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3
 
3. God’s blessings are spiritual, not necessarily physical blessings.
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Colossians 3:1-4

“Aim at Heaven and you will get Earth 'thrown in': aim at Earth and you will get neither.”
~C.S. Lewis in The Joyful Christian
 
Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3
 
4. Jesus is all-sufficient.
Apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5
 
I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13
 
In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Colossians 2:3
 
Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ. For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ, and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
Colossians 2:8-10
 
As humans, we have great needs:

1. A new position, or legal status, before a holy God (Justification)
2. A new life (Sanctification)

 
Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3
 
For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.
He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.
Ephesians 1:4-6
 
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.
He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ as a plan for the right time — to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.
Ephesians 1:7-10
 
In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory.
Ephesians 1:11-12
 
In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.          
Ephesians 1:13-14
 
As humans, we have great needs:

1. A new position, or legal status, before a holy God (Justification)
2. A new life (Sanctification)

 
As humans, we have great needs:

1. A new position, or legal status, before a holy God (Justification)
2. A new life (Sanctification)
3. A new family (Adoption)

 
In our new family, as God’s children, we have many privileges:

1. We become a new creation. 
2. We get His inheritance.
3. We have freedom and confidence in prayer. 
4. We get to be disciplined by Our Perfect Father.
5. We get brothers & sisters! 

 
Taking Communion
 
LEADER: Take the bread, which is the body of Christ, broken for us. And let’s say this blessing from Ephesians 1:3-4 together:
 
GROUP: “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every Spiritual Blessing in the heavens in Christ. For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.” Ephesians 1:3-4
 
LEADER: This is the body of Jesus, broken for us. Take it and eat, in remembrance of him.
 
*Take the elements*
 
LEADER: Take the cup, which is the blood of Christ, spilled for us. And let’s say this blessing from Ephesians 1:7-10 together:
 
ALL: “In Christ, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. All of this was according to his plan - to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.” Ephesians 1:7-10
 
LEADER: This is the blood of Jesus, spilled for us. Take it and drink, in remembrance of him. 
 
LEADER: Pray

*Return to seats when finished*
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes:  Jonathan Ignacio
Title: Ephesians Series (Week 1)
Text: Ephesians 1:1-3
Campus: Rivermont

BELONGING:
01:DISCOVER: 63 Attendees
02:BELONG: 52 Attendees, 50 new provisional members
GOSPEL COMMUNITIES: 47 attendees at Group Leader dinner, 9 Group Leader Hangouts, 15+ new leaders coming online in the near future, 6 EHS Groups

LEADERSHIP & CARE:
DEACONS: 19 people praying considering starting the process.
ELDERS: 2 In the candidacy process

FAMILY MINISTRY:
KIDCITY: 70 children each week, 28 new volunteers.
GOSPEL STUDENT MINISTRIES: 40 students each week, 3 new leaders

SUMMER IN THE CITY:
GCR BLOCK PARTY: 150 neighbors, 40 total volunteers
LUNCH & LEARN: 10 families served each week by 13 volunteers
CHURCH IN THE PARK: More than 250 people gathered, and 30+ volunteers served
WORSHIP NIGHTS: 2 gatherings, one at each location

LOOKING AHEAD:
SUMMER IN THE CITY: gospelcc.org/summer
FAMILY MINISTRY: More leaders and volunteers in KidCity and GSM
BELONGING: 01 and 02, More leaders and groups, Group Connect
GENEROSITY: Continue or begin giving financially

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will:
To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
God’s Rich Blessings
Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.
Ephesians 1:1-3 (CSB)

Paul structures the letter by focusing on doctrine in chapters 1-3 and then shifts to living out that doctrine as the church in chapters 4-6.

The reality is a sanctified life flows out of a justified life.

to be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another
Ephesians 4:32

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace
Ephesians 1:7

make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit
-Ephesians 4:3

in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility. In his flesh, he made of no effect the law consisting of commands and expressed in regulations, so that he might create in himself one new man from the two, resulting in peace.
Ephesians 2:13-15

Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21

Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making 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 at your calling— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 4:1-6

• God desires us to know Him through worship.
• God desires us to know Him through community and relationships as the church.

We are faithful saints in Christ Jesus. (1:2)
We’ve been blessed. (1:3)
We’ve been chosen and adopted by the Father. (1:4-6)
We’ve received an inheritance and been redeemed by the Son. (1:7-12)
We’ve sealed in Christ with the promised Holy Spirit. (1:13-14)

He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.
Ephesians 1:5-6

so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory.
Ephesians 1:12

The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:14

Theology was never meant to be divorced from our emotions and experiences. True biblical knowledge is a knowledge that feels and experiences. Doctrine that experiences is a life that sings its praises to God.

Doctrinal precision doesn’t equate to spiritual and emotional health, maturity or sanctification.

“right doctrine is a stewardship for the Christian that leads to worship and greater devotion to Jesus. It’s a living and active belief that always results in a greater love for God and for neighbor.

God “made us alive with Christ” (2:5)
God “raised us up with him and seated us with him” (2:6)
We are “fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household” (2:19)
We are “being put together” as a holy temple” (2:21)
We are “being built together for God’s dwelling” (2:22)
We are “coheirs, members of the same body, and partners in the promise in Christ Jesus” (3:6)

For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend WITH ALL THE SAINTS what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:14-19

The love of Christ is so wide, long, high, so deep that we cannot understand and experience this type love by ourselves.

When we’re intentional with one another we each bring a unique perspective and experience to our knowledge and understanding of Christ’s love.

He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
2 Corinthians 1:4

renovation of the relational self is impossible without involvement in Christ-centered community. Participation in the worshipping community transports us into the mystery of God revealed in the liturgy and sacraments. It confronts our inherent selfishness, teaches how to trust and love, comforts in our loneliness, and strengthens virtue and morality. In sum, healthy relationships formed in Christian community nurture true-self attachment patterns that replace destructive, false-self patterns.
~Bruce Demarest

This is the essence of biblical discipleship. If the Fall brought sin and disorder into our being and relationships, then discipleship is the divine reversal of the Fall where we become more like Jesus through relationships.

To live out our full humanity, as God designed, it’s actually becoming more like the relational Jesus that we see in the Gospels.
__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Ephesians Series (Week 1)
Text: Ephesians 1:1-3
Campus: College Hill

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will:
To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
God’s Rich Blessings
Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.
Ephesians 1:1-3 (CSB)

What does it mean to be gospel-centered and how do we actually live that out individually and collectively?

Who we are in Christ (chapters 1-3)
how we are to live in Christ and in community (chapters 4-6)

Where do I, most, need grace in my life right now?
Where am I lacking peace?

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will: To the faithful saints in Christ Jesus at Ephesus. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:1-2 (CSB)

“Saint” carries the sense of being set apart for a sacred purpose.

Two primary movements that shaped the spiritual atmosphere, and the culture, of Ephesus:
1) the worship of Artemis (also known as the Roman goddess Diana)
2) the presence of the Imperial cult.

Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly over a period of three months, arguing and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became hardened and would not believe, slandering the Way in front of the crowd, he withdrew from them, taking the disciples, and conducted discussions every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.
Acts 19:8-10 (CSB)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:2

Christians are saved by grace (Eph. 2:5, 8)
and Christ is our peace (Eph. 2:14).

Christ gives grace to each believer, so that we can experience healing and contribute to the health and vitality of the church.
Are you in Christ?
Is Christ in you?

What if you stopped trying to fix yourself and others (stopped trying to control your life) and, instead, slowed down with Jesus? ______________________________________________________________________

Guided Prayer: Brenton Lehman
Text: Luke 11:5-13
Campus: Rivermont

The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
your name be honored as holy.
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 do not bring us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, for ever and ever.
Amen

He was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”
Luke 11:1

He also said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I don’t have anything to offer him.’ Then he will answer from inside and say, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I have gone to bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he won’t get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his friend’s shameless boldness, he will get up and give him as much as he needs. “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
Luke 11:5-13

Mode of Prayer:
Reflection
Ask:
Need
-How do I need or want the Holy Spirit to move in my life?
-Ask the Lord to reveal the need, and to meet the need.

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. … If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
Luke 11:9, 13

Mode of Prayer:
Intercession
Seek:
Revival
-On behalf of my neighbor, reveal yourself and be close to them in their needs. In their asking, give more of yourself.
-Reveal the need beneath the need, and fill that space with your love. Bring revival to their heart.

He also said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I don’t have anything to offer him.’ Then he will answer from inside and say, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I have gone to bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he won’t get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his friend’s shameless boldness, he will get up and give him as much as he needs. “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.
Luke 11:5-9

Knock: 
Surrender
______________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Preston Burling
Title: Asking for the Holy Spirit
Text: Luke 11:5-13
Campus: College Hill

He also said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I don’t have anything to offer him.’ Then he will answer from inside and say, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I have gone to bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he won’t get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his friend’s shameless boldness, he will get up and give him as much as he needs. “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”
Luke 11:5-13

We must continually persist in asking the Lord to meet our needs.

God has promised he will pour out his Spirit to those who persist in asking.

O Lord God,
It is all to common that I feel the absence of your Spirit’s presence,
And I act by my own spirit in many things.
Give me not weak desires, but the power of your Spirit’s presence,
For this is the surest way to experience your graces.
The Spirit can heal, help, quicken, humble suddenly and easily,
Can work grace and life effectually,
And being eternal he can give grace eternally.
Save me from great hindrances and distractions,
From being content with a little measure of the Spirit,
From thinking you will not give me more of yourself.
When I feel my lack of your Spirit, light up life and faith,
For when I lose you, I am either in the dark and cannot see,
Or Satan and my natural abilities convince me only a little light is okay,
So that I seek no further for your Spirit, that brings life
Then, teach me what to do Lord.
Should I merely humble myself and not stir up my heart?
Should I meditate and use whatever practice I may to draw near to you?
Is it a duty or an error to pray and look for the fullness of the Spirit in me?
Am I mistaken in feeling I am empty of the Spirit
Because I do not sense his presence within?
When all the time I am most empty and could be more full by faith in Christ?
Was the fullness of the Spirit in the apostles chiefly just a power for your gifts?
Or by what power did they also find their life and joy?
Teach me to find and know the fullness of life and joy by the power of your Spirit.
~Adapted from The Valley of Vision

Three Angles of formational engagement with the Spirit:
1. Head (Meta)
2. Heart (Reflective)
3. Hands (Experiential)

Action:
Identify a word or truth statement/phrase that stands out to you in the text.
Question:
Does this word or statement point to an underlying need I have, that only the Spirit can provide?

Questions:

1. What emotions arise within me as it relates to this text?
2. How do these emotions tie into the word or phrase that stood out to me?

Action:
Be persistent in asking the Spirit to meet your needs that arise through these emotions.

Question:
What would the Spirit have me do about it?
Action:
Find someone to share what the Spirit is teaching you and pray over one another.
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: The Spirit and the Church: Global Renewal
Text: Psalm 96
Campus: Rivermont

“Then God said, ‘Let us make human beings in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule...the whole earth...’ So God created humankind in his own image; he created them in the image of God; he created them male and female.”
Genesis 1:26-27
 
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.
 
“Sing a new song to the Lord;
let the whole earth sing to the Lord.”
Psalm 96:1
 
“ For the Lord is great and is highly praised;
he is feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.”
Psalm 96:4-5,
 
“let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice...”
Psalm 96:11a

Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

“let the sea and all that fills it resound.
Let the fields and everything in them celebrate.
Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy”
Psalm 96:11b-12,
 
“ Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
bring an offering and enter his courts.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;
let the whole earth tremble before him.”
Psalm 96:7-9

“ “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you except to fear the Lord your God by walking in all his ways, to love him, and to worship the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul? 13 Keep the Lord’s commands and statutes I am giving you today, for your own good. 14 The heavens, indeed the highest heavens, belong to the Lord your God, as does the earth and everything in it.”
Deuteronomy 10:12-14

“For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written, Everyone who does not do everything written in the book of the law is cursed.  Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live by faith.  But the law is not based on faith; instead, the one who does these things will live by them.”
Galatians 3:10-12
 
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
Galatians 3:13
 
“Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
proclaim his salvation from day to day.”
Psalm 96:2
 
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

“[God] became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish.”
John 1:14 (The Message)

“you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8

“Jesus came near and said to them, ‘All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 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, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”
Matthew 28:18-20

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
Mark 16:15

“Declare his glory among the nations,
his wondrous works among all peoples.
Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.
The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken.
He judges the peoples fairly.
before the Lord, for he is coming—
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with his faithfulness.”
Psalm 96:3, 10, 13

“The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham (God’s promise to Abraham that the nations would be blessed, or would be renewed) would come to the nations by Jesus Christ, so that we could receive the promised Spirit through faith.”
Galatians 3:14

It’s the Holy Spirit, indwelling and filling followers of Jesus that brings about the renewal of the world, through the power of the gospel of the Kingdom of God.

 “Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.
The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken.
He judges the peoples fairly.
before the Lord, for he is coming—
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with his faithfulness.”
Psalm 96:10, 13
 
“Declare his glory among the nations,
his wondrous works among all peoples.”
Psalm 96:3

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Keith Hoekman
Title: The Spirit and the Church: Revival
Text: Psalm 96
Campus: College Hill

“Sing a new song to the Lord;
let the whole earth sing to the Lord.
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
proclaim his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
His wondrous works among all peoples.
For the Lord is great and is highly praised;
he is feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name;
bring an offering and enter his courts.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;
let the whole earth tremble before him.
Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.
The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken.
He judges the peoples fairly.”
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and all that fills it resound.
Let the fields and everything in them celebrate.
Then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy
before the Lord, for he is coming—
for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with his faithfulness.”
Psalm 96

“We’re embodied creatures, and there are deep connections between our bodies and souls. Practices like singing stir our hearts to joy and affection”
~Mike Cosper

“In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. “
2 Corinthians 4:4

“For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4:6

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.” He said this about the Spirit. Those who believed in Jesus were going to receive the Spirit, for the Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified.”
John 7:37-39

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ”
Ephesians 3:16-19

“Sing a new song to the Lord;
let the whole earth sing to the Lord.
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
proclaim his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his wondrous works among all peoples.”
Psalms 96:1-3

“Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.
The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken.
He judges the peoples fairly.”
Psalms 96:10

Click here for Renewal-Mission picture
 
Click here for People Groups of the World Map

“For the Lord is great and is highly praised;
he is feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.”
Psalm 96:4-5

“for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with his faithfulness.”
Psalm 96:13
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: The Spirit and the Church: The Spirit Gifts The Church
Text: 1 Corinthians 12:1 – 14:1
Campus: Rivermont

The church the Spirit builds is one that loves and worships Jesus, experiences the power of Spirit through the use of the gifts, celebrates radical unity and diversity, and together testifies to the world that Jesus really is alive.
 
“Now concerning spiritual gifts: brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware.”
1 Corinthians 12:1
 
“You know that when you were pagans, you used to be enticed and led astray by mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus is cursed,’ and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 12:2-3
 
There is no Christian, no church, no gospel, apart from the work of the Holy Spirit. 
A Christian and a church are Spirit-dependent things.

“Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. “
1 Corinthians 12:4
 
Spiritual gifts are Given by the Father, empowered by the Spirit, and all about Jesus. 
 
“There are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different activities, but the same God works all of them in each person. “
1 Corinthians 12:5-6
 
“A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good:”
1 Corinthians 12:7
 
When everyone in the church is thriving in their spiritual gifts, the effect is exponential beauty. And for this Christ gets the glory. 
 
“to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit,”
1 Corinthians 12:8
 
Wisdom
Knowledge
 
“to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit,”
1 Corinthians 12:9
 
Faith
Gifts of Healing
 
“to another, the performing of miracles, to another, prophecy, to another, distinguishing between spirits, to another, different kinds of tongues,[b] to another, interpretation of tongues.”
1 Corinthians 12:10
 
Working of Miracles
Prophecy
 
“Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy.”
I Corinthians 14:1
 
Distinguishing Spirits
Tongues and Interpretation
 
“One and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as he wills.”
1 Corinthians 12:11
 
“For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ.  For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink.”
1 Corinthians 12:12-13
 
“ Indeed, the body is not one part but many.  If the foot should say, ‘Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,’ it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,’ it is not for that reason any less a part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted. And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.  The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable.”
1 Corinthians 12:14-22
 
“On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, which our respectable parts do not need.
Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable,”
1 Corinthians 12:22-24
 
“so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
1 Corinthians 12:25-26
 
“Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it.  And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, next miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, leading, various kinds of tongues.  Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles?  Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.”
1 Corinthians 12:27-31
 
“If I speak human or angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give away all my possessions, and if I give over my body in order to boast[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant,  is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs.  Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part,  but when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things. For now we see only a reflection[c] as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known. Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love—but the greatest of these is love.
Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts”
1 Corinthians 13:1-14:1a
 
The church the Spirit builds is one that loves and worships Jesus, experiences the power of Spirit through the use of the gifts, celebrates radical unity and diversity, and together testifies to the world that Jesus really is alive.

Takeaways on Discovering Spiritual Gifts:

• Spiritual gifts are discovered in community.
• It’s less about what I do, and more about how or in what way I do it. 
• We have plenty of needs(...),So we’ve shared with you those needs on this form as a place to start.

_____________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Matt Bradner
Title: The Spirit and the Church: Spiritual Gifts
Text: Acts 1; 1 Corinthians 12
Campus: College Hill

Click to see photo 

How can God’s Spirit live in me?
How can the Spirit of God get in me…fit in me?
We don’t know how He gets in us,
but we can know if He’s in us.

“After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. ‘Which,’ he said, ‘you have heard me speak about; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.’”
Acts 1:3-5

“So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?’
He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority.’”
Acts 1:6-7

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8

When the Holy Spirit is present,
the Father is giving (“you will receive”)
and Christians are living (“you will be”).

“Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who comes from God, so that we may understand what has been freely given to us by God.”
1 Corinthians 2:12

“As they were saying these things, he himself stood in their midst. He said to them, ‘Peace to you!’
But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost.
‘Why are you troubled?’ he asked them. ‘And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself! Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.’
Having said this, he showed them his hands and feet. But while they still were amazed and in disbelief because of their joy…”
Luke 24:36-41

“For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. Instead, you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “'Abba', Father!” The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
Romans 8:14-16

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
James 1:17

“Don’t be afraid, little flock, because your Father delights to give you the kingdom.”
Luke 12:32

“He did not even spare his own Son but gave him up for us all. How will he not also with him grant us everything?”
Romans 8:32

When the Holy Spirit is present,
the Father is giving (you will receive)
and Christians are living (you will be).

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8

"Now concerning spiritual gifts: brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware…
Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different activities, but the same God works all of them in each person. A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good:"
1 Corinthians 12:1, 4-7

“One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
Proverbs 11:24-25 (NIV)

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. Now if the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’”
1 Corinthians 12:12,15,21

No one should ever say “I need to be you” or “I don’t need you”.

Spirit-filled and empowered believers come together declaring, “I need you to be you and you need me to be me.”
“Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.”
1 Peter 4:10-11
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: The Spirit and the Church: Paul’s Conversion
Text: Acts 9; Romans 8:11
Campus: Rivermont

The Spirit has been active for all of eternity, but he’s been uniquely present in the lives of Christians after the resurrection and assertion of Jesus.

Our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19)

Radical transformation, and vibrant faith, is the work of the Spirit as we yield ourselves to him.

It’s possible to honor God with your lips, but for your heart to be far from him.

We are not responsible for our personal spiritual transformation.

“Now Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.”
Acts 9:1-2 (CSB)

“As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul said.
‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting,’ he replied. ‘But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink.”
Acts 9:3-9

Click here to see 1601 classical painting by Caravaggio.

"There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’
‘Here I am, Lord,’ he replied.
‘Get up and go to the street called Straight,’ the Lord said to him, ‘to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so that he may regain his sight.’
‘Lord,’ Ananias answered, ‘I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.’
But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.’
Ananias went and entered the house. He placed his hands on him and said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’
At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. And after taking some food, he regained his strength.”
Acts 9:10-19

Through Christ, and the work of the Spirit, sworn enemies become family.

“So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.”
Acts 9:31

“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.”
Romans 8:11

Radical transformation, and vibrant faith, is the work of the Spirit as we yield ourselves to him.
•           Have I given my whole life to Jesus?
•           Am I continually yielding to the Spirit?
______________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Jonathan Ignacio
Title: The Spirit and the Church: Paul’s Conversion
Text: Romans 8:9-11; Acts 9:1-9
Campus: College Hill

“Christian proclamation might make the gospel audible, but Christians living together in local congregations make the gospel visible. The church is the gospel made visible.”
~Mark Dever

Pentecost was when the personal presence of Jesus on earth was replaced with the personal power of Jesus by the Holy Spirit.

“I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.”
John 16:7

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8

Do you believe that the Spirit inside of you is more of a benefit to you than Jesus beside you?
Do your experiences reflect this truth?

It’s possible to have an accurate and sharp theological category for the Holy Spirit but be functionally unaware of His presence in our lives.

Bears divine attributes of eternity – Hebrews 9:14
Omniscience – Isaiah 40:13; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11
Wisdom – Isaiah 11:2
Omnipresent – Psalm 139:7-10; Acts 1:8
Incomprehensibility – Isaiah 40:13

Involved in…
Creation – Genesis 1:2; Psalm 104:30
Judgment – John 16:8-11
Giving of life (physical & spiritual) – Job 33:4; Psalm 104:30; John 3:5-8
Washed, sanctified, & justified – 1 Corinthians 6:11
Teacher – 2 Timothy 3:16; 1 John 2:27

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus,  because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering,  in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.  You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.”
Romans 8:1-11 (CSB)

You shall have no other gods before Me.
You shall not make idols.
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Honor your father and your mother.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet.

“It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.”
~Tim Keller

FLESH
Condemnation (v.1)
Sin and death (v.2)
Mind set on the flesh (v.5)
Death (v.6)
Hostile to God (v.7)
Does not submit to God’s law (v.7)
Cannot please God (v.8)

SPIRIT
No condemnation (v.1)
Life (v.2)
Freedom from the law of sin and death (v.2)
Mind set on the Spirit (v.5)
Life and peace (v.6)
Able to please God (v.8)
Belongs to God (v.9)
Redeem our mortal bodies (v.11)

“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.”
“So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.”
Acts 9:31

Do we live lives that can only be explained because of the Spirit’s involvement?

The life the Spirit breathes in us is not some abstract theoretical thing or force or paranormal anomaly but the Spirit gives us himself inviting us to share in this mutual delight within all three persons of the trinity.

The emphasis of the Scriptures in the Spirit’s work is that He gives us everything we need for our present circumstances.
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: The Spirit and the Church: Relational Healing
Text: Acts 1:8 & 2:1-41
Campus: Rivermont

This season in the life of our church for the next few weeks is about the Spirit’s work in our lives, and the kind of church family the Spirit creates.

Week 1: The Spirit’s work in relational healing

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8

”When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, devout people from every nation under heaven. When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded and amazed, saying, ‘Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? How is it that each of us can hear them in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts), Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the magnificent acts of God in our own tongues.’
They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’”
Acts 2:1-12

Jerusalem: Comfort Zone

Judea: Like the suburb of Jerusalem, uncomfortable.

Samaria: Complex. We feel anxious, and out of place.

The end of the Earth: The nations.

The Spirit’s work in relational healing will mean transgressing cultural boundaries others may say, and we may feel, we ought not to cross.

“Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a Sabbath day’s journey away.  When they arrived, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. They all were continually united in prayer, along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”
Acts 1:12-14

“When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them.  Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them.”
Acts 2:1-4

The Holy Spirit moves in supernatural ways, and without the Spirit, there is no gospel, there is no church, and there’s no us. Any attempt of knowing and following Jesus or doing church apart from the Spirit will be powerless and hollow.

No Christian and no Church is born apart from the work of the Holy Spirit.

The way the church is born points to its nature and identity.

“Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, devout people from every nation under heaven. When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded and amazed, saying, ‘Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans?  How is it that each of us can hear them in our own native language?’”
Acts 2:5-8

“’Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts), Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the magnificent acts of God in our own tongues.’”
Acts 2:9-11

Difference isn’t a consequence of sin, but division is.

When God Almighty whispered the promise to Abraham in Genesis 12 that, “In you, all the nations of the earth will be blessed”, he saw Pentecost.  

The work of the Spirit in the church increases oneness, brings relational healing, and bridges cultural barriers. This is part of what renewal in the church will look like.

The Spirit’s Work in Relational Healing:

In the New Testament (1st Century)	Today (21st Century)
Hebrews & Greeks (Ethnic)	Racial Hostility
Rich & Poor (Class)	Socio-Economic Class
Male & Female (Gender)	Gender & Sexuality
Slave & Free (Social)	Liberal & Conservative

Reflection and Prayer:

1. Let us pray for greater dependence on the Spirit to do what only he can do in your heart and in this church family.
2. Would you pray that our church would increasingly reflect the kind of loving, diverse community for which only the Risen Jesus can take credit?

______________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: The Spirit and the Church: Pentecost Sunday
Text: Acts 1:8 & 2:1-41
Campus: College Hill

God’s Spirit that enables each of us to flourish and to fulfill the essential mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ.
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive him because it doesn’t see him or know him. But you do know him, because he remains with you and will be in you.”
John 14:16-17

“...I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.”
John 16:7

“While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. ‘Which,’ he said, ‘you have heard me speak about; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.’”
Acts 1:4-5 (CSB)

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8

“When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. 3 They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them. 4 Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues,[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, devout people from every nation under heaven. When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded and amazed, saying, ‘Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? How is it that each of us can hear them in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts), Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the magnificent acts of God in our own tongues.’
They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’”
Acts 2:1-12

1. The presence of the Spirit is disruptive.
2. The presence of the Spirit is unifying and healing.
     The transcendent work of the Spirit, cultivates a transcultural community.
3. The presence of the Spirit is essential for personal, corporate, and global gospel transformation.

“So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased (multiplied) in numbers.”
Acts 9:31

How do we access the Spirit of God?
Explicitly - through repentance (Acts 2:38)
Implicitly - through prayer (Acts 1:14)
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Nate Taylor
Title: Awaken to New Life: Breakfast with Jesus
Text: John 21:1-19
Campus: Rivermont

What does Jesus think about us after we fail?

Where do we go with our failure?

“Then the servant girl who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, ‘You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?’
 ‘I am not,’ he said.
Now the servants and the officials had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold. They were standing there warming themselves, and Peter was standing with them, warming himself.”
John 18:17-18

“After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called “Twin” ), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples were together.”
John 21:1-2

“‘I’m going fishing,’ Simon Peter said to them. ‘We’re coming with you,’ they told him.”
John 21:3a

“They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.”
John 21:3b

 “ When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus.”
John 21:4

“‘Friends,’ Jesus called to them, ‘you don’t have any fish, do you? ‘
‘No,’ they answered.”
John 21: 5

“‘Cast the net on the right side of the boat,’ he told them, ‘and you’ll find some.’
So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish.
The disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ 
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer clothing around him (for he had taken it off) and plunged into the sea.”
John 21:6-7

“Since they were not far from land (about a hundred yards away), the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread.”
 John 21:8-9

“‘Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,’ Jesus told them.
So Simon Peter climbed up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish — 153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
‘Come and have breakfast,’ Jesus told them.
None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you? ‘ because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.”
John 21:10-14

Jesus sees us with the love and compassion of a good father. He wants to draw us close. He calls out to us.

“ When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked ‘Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’  
‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.’
‘Feed my lambs,” he told him.’”
John 21:15

“A second time he asked him, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’
‘Yes, Lord,’ he said to him, ‘you know that I love you.’
‘Shepherd my sheep,’ he told him.
He asked him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’
Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’
‘Feed my sheep,’ Jesus said. ‘Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.’
He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, ‘Follow me.’”
John 21:16-19

What does Jesus think about us after we fail?

1. Jesus, looks at us with loving compassion.
2. Jesus longs to remind us of his redeeming grace.
3. Jesus wants to restore us into right relationship with him.

Where should we go with our failure?

Once we realize, crystalize the truth of how Jesus looks at us after we fail, we should be like Peter when he jumps into the water towards Jesus.

Jesus can heal your wounds. He can restore you to a relationship with him and with others and he can also awaken you to new life.

1. What are the failures in my past that are holding me back from seeing how much you love me?
2. How do you want me to fish for men? How do you want me to feed and care for your sheep?

“The work of the church--- the gathering of fish, the nurture of sheep--- cannot go forward unless its ministers are healed of their histories and renewed by God’s Spirit.”
~Gary M. Burge

We must let Jesus heal our wounds, and replace our failures with his purpose.
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Preston Burling
Title: Awaken to New Life: Peter’s Restoration
Text: John 21:1-19
Campus: College Hill

What does it take to be awakened to new life in Christ?

What does it take to be awakened to new life in Christ after I have experienced a significant, personal failure?

Am I afraid to fail?

“After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way: Simon Peter, Thomas (called “Twin”), Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples were together.
‘I’m going fishing,’ Simon Peter said to them.
‘We’re coming with you,’  they told him.
They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.  When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus.
‘Friends,’ Jesus called to them, ‘you don’t have any fish, do you?’
 ‘No,’ they answered.
‘Cast the net on the right side of the boat,’ he told them, ‘and you’ll find some.’
So they did, and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish.
The disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer clothing around him (for he had taken it off) and plunged into the sea. Since they were not far from land (about a hundred yards[e] away), the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread.
‘Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,’ Jesus told them.
So Simon Peter climbed up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish—153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
‘Come and have breakfast,’ Jesus told them.
None of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ because they knew it was the Lord.
Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’
‘Yes, Lord,’ he said to him, ‘you know that I love you.’
 ‘Feed my lambs,’ he told him. A second time he asked him, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’
‘Yes, Lord,’ he said to him, ‘you know that I love you.’
 ‘Shepherd my sheep,’ he told him. He asked him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’
Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’
‘Feed my sheep,’ Jesus said. ‘Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.’
He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, ‘Follow me.’”
John 21:1-19 (CSB)

“‘Lord,’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘where are you going?’
Jesus answered, ‘Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.’
‘Lord,’ Peter asked, ‘why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.’
Jesus replied, ‘Will you lay down your life for me? Truly I tell you, a rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times.’”
John 13:36-39 (CSB)

Click here to see slide: Silence

1. Encounter the Resurrection

Jesus has not disowned you

1. Encounter the Resurrection
2. Embrace the Restoration

“When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’
‘Yes, Lord,’ he said to him, ‘you know that I love you.’
“Feed my lambs,” he told him. A second time he asked him, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’
‘Yes, Lord,’ he said to him, ‘you know that I love you.’
‘Shepherd my sheep,’ he told him. He asked him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’
Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’
‘Feed my sheep,’ Jesus said. ‘Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.’
He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, ‘Follow me.’”
John 21:15-19 (CSB)

1. Encounter the Resurrection
2. Embrace the Restoration
3. Endure the Renewal

You may have encounters with Jesus, you may even experience restoration, but that doesn’t mean that you follow Jesus.
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman and Emily Woody
Title: Awaken to New Life: Thomas
Text: John 20:24-31
Campus: Rivermont

A Congregational Liturgy for Mother’s Day:
Leader: To those who wish to be mothers, but have had that dream deferred or lost entirely:
Congregation: We lament with you.

Leader: To those who have conceived, loved, and lost children:
Congregation: We mourn with you.

Leader: To those who been deeply wounded, neglected, or abandoned by their mothers:
Congregation: We weep with you.

Leader: To those who have loved and lost their mothers:
Congregation: We grieve with you.

Leader: To every mother, who loves their biological, foster & adoptive, and spiritual sons and daughters; to every mother who nurtures life in the face of death; to every beloved mother: today, we say:
Congregation: Thank you. And we rejoice with you.

Leader: For every good and perfect gift comes from above, from God who dwells in heavenly light - motherhood is one of those good gifts, given to humankind by God who loves us, and knows just what we need.
Today, we rejoice with and in mothers of all kids. Today, we honor and celebrate the gift of mothers and motherhood. With serious delight and authentic gratitude, as part of the worship of our good God collectively today, we say to every mother:
Congregation: May God bless you and protect you. May he cause his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you. May the Lord look with favor upon you, and give you peace.
Amen.

“But Thomas (called “Twin”), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were telling him, ‘We’ve seen the Lord!’
But he said to them, ‘If I don’t see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.’
A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’
Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.’
Thomas responded to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’
Jesus said, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.’”
John 20:24-29

Thomas had the right person, but had the wrong expectations.
Are there expectations I’ve had of Jesus, that he never promised, that threaten to bring despair?

““But Thomas (called “Twin”), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were telling him, ‘We’ve seen the Lord!’”
John 20:24-25a

“But he said to them, ‘If I don’t see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.’”
John 20:25b
 
“A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’
Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.’
Thomas responded to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’
Jesus said, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.’”
John 20:26-29
 
“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
John 20:30-31
 
What needs to die, or what is experiencing death?
Where do you need resurrection?
What is the new thing the Lord wants to do in my life?

Practicing Resurrection amidst Disorientation:

• Invite trusted relationships into the process.
• Practice being as honest as possible with God, no matter what 
• Especially in times of transition or disorientation, practice being in the Psalms.
• Practice solitude and silence, listening in prayer.
• Consider: Seeing a really good counselor

______________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Awaken to New Life: Thomas
Text: John 20:24-31
Campus: College Hill

Doubt can co-exist alongside of faith.

Faith is not the absence of doubt, it’s a commitment to honest, and humble, curiosity in our personal journey with Jesus.

“But Thomas (called “Twin”), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were telling him, ‘We’ve seen the Lord!’
But he said to them, ‘If I don’t see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.’”
John 20:24-25 (CSB)

What does the Bible reveal to us about doubt?

1) Doubt is normal; it’s a part of being human.
“Now that I am a Christian I do have moods in which the whole thing looks very improbable; but when I was an atheist I had moods in which Christianity looked terribly probable.”
~ C. S. Lewis

2) We don’t need to fear doubt.
Doubt has a role to play in confirming and strengthening what we believe.

“If ours is an examined faith, we should be unafraid to doubt. If doubt is eventually justified, we were believing what clearly was not worth believing. But if doubt is answered, our faith has grown stronger. It knows God more certainly and it can enjoy God more deeply.”
~Os Guinness

“A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’
Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.’”
Read John 20:26-27

“Thomas responded to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’”
Read John 20:28

3) We don’t need to eliminate all doubt, or pursue supernatural encounters, in order to have a vibrant faith.
“Jesus said, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.’”
Read John 20:29

"Proud (dishonest) doubt:
lazy, defiant, and resists the promises of God
it’s closed minded – refusing to consider the possibility that something could exist which challenges our comprehension
makes blind assumptions
Humble (honest) doubt:
grows out of wonder and awe
not afraid to ask genuine questions
vulnerable
takes risks;
clings to the promises of God"
~J.D. Grear

How can we productively manage doubt?
1) Take a posture of humility.
2) Process doubt in community.
3) Doubt your doubts.

"The only way to doubt Christianity rightly and fairly is to discern the alternate belief under each of your doubts and then ask yourself what reasons you have for believing it. How do you know your belief is true? It would be inconsistent to require more justification for Christian belief than you do for your own, but that is frequently what happens. In fairness you must doubt your doubts. My thesis is that if you come to recognize the beliefs on which your doubts about Christianity are based, and if you seek as much proof for those beliefs as you seek from Christians for theirs – you will discover that your doubts are not as solid as they first appeared."
~ Tim Keller
_________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Matt Bradner
Title: Awaken to New Life (Mary)
Text: John 20:1-18.
Campus: Rivermont

“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
John 20:30-31

John’s stories are purposed to ignite belief in Jesus and life in us.

“On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.”
John 20:1

“So she went running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him!”
John 20:2

What they saw on the cross horrified them. What they didn’t see in the tomb horrified them. Yet in both, God was fulfilling his promises.

The cross and the tomb are reminders that God can be trusted when what we see or don’t see, appears horrific at first glance.

“Peter and the other disciple went out heading for the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first.
Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then, following him, Simon Peter also came. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.”
John 20:3-6

"The wrapping that had been on his head was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a separate place by itself. The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then also went in, saw, and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he must rise from the dead.”
John 20:7-9

“But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. She saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’s body had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’
‘Because they’ve taken away my Lord,’ she told them, ‘and I don’t know where they’ve put him.’”
John 20:11-13

“Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus. ‘Woman,’ Jesus said to her, ‘why are you crying? Who is it that you’re seeking?’
Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, ‘Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.’
Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ — which means ‘Teacher.’”
John 20:14-16

There is an admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies in Jesus Christ.
~Jonathan Edwards

Jesus is ultimate in power and intimate in person.

“Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus. ‘Woman,’ Jesus said to her, ‘why are you crying? Who is it that you’re seeking?’
Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, ‘Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.’
Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ — which means ‘Teacher.’”
John 20:14-16

Do you need to be reminded that Jesus is all powerful or all personal?

Jesus gives reason to trust and room to talk.

“Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before him. God is our refuge.”
Psalm 62:8

“Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord! ‘
And she told them what he had said to her”
John 20:1-18
______________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Awaken to New Life (Mary)
Text: John 20:1-18
Campus: College Hill

Grief is the normal process of reacting to loss.

Mary’s encounter with Jesus doesn’t show us a way out of grief, but it shows us a pathway through grief.

“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”
John 20:30-31 (CSB)

“On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she went running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him!’
At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb.”
John 20:1-3

John often blends multiple stories in order to illustrate a single message.

Who is Mary Magdalene?

• healed by Jesus from demonic oppression (Luke 8)
• followers and friend of Jesus
• financial supporter of Christ’s ministry

“At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first.”
John 20:3-4

“For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he must rise from the dead.”
John 20:9

“But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. She saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’s body had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.  They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’
’Because they’ve taken away my Lord,’ she told them, ‘and I don’t know where they’ve put him.’”
John 20:11-13

Grief isn’t linear and it doesn’t look the same for everyone.

If you’re grieving:
1) Pay attention to how grief may be affecting you.
2) Be mindful how substances impact you (often make things worse, not better).
3) Don’t be embarrassed or afraid to pursue professional help. (Cindy Lamothe)

If you are a follower of Jesus, bring your grief to him.

"Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus.  ‘Woman,’ Jesus said to her, ‘why are you crying? Who is it that you’re seeking?’
Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, ‘Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.’
Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’”
John 14-16a

“Woman, why do you weep?”
John 20:15

“She’d never heard a more foolish question in all her life. But his question was not foolish. His question was laughter. His question was the arrival of April after a lifelong winter. By asking her why she wept, he returned Mary to the place of Eve. He returned her to the tears of all humanity. He bid her look one final time upon the question that scarred and scorched a perfect earth with perfect creatures. And with the rising of the sun, he exploded that question into a million fragments. The first question of a Resurrected God destroyed the curse of the original question forever.
This is the Resurrection power of the God-Who-Asks. It is with asking that he introduces himself to us. It is with asking that he invites us to draw closer. God’s open invitation to know him stands before us.”
Cara Murphy, The Inquisitive Christ, pg. 43

“’Don’t cling to me,’ Jesus told her, ‘since I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
John 20:17

From this point forward, for the rest of her life, Mary will be journeying with her risen Savior and telling others about him (John 20:17)

Conslusion:
What does it mean to be a Christian?
To be a Christian means, “to be known by Christ, to know Christ, and to make him known.”

Is there a wounded, or broken, part of your life where do you need the healing and empowering presence of Jesus?
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: The Good News of the Gospel
Text: I Corinthians 15:1-11
Campus: Rivermont

Good news > Good advice

“Now, what I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received,on which you have take your stand, and by which you are being saved (healed, rescued), if you hold to the message I preached to you - unless you believed in vain (without thinking it through). For I passed on to you as most important what I also received…”
~St. Paul, 53 A.D.

The resurrected body of Jesus is the evidence that the gospel really is good news.

At what point does the gospel become good news?

“Evangelion (what we call “the gospel” is a Greek word, signifying good, merry, glad and joyful news, that makes a person’s heart glad and makes them sing, dance, and leap for joy.”
~William Tyndale, 1525 A.D.

“unless you have believed in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15:2b

Question for Reflection: Has the gospel ever been good news to me?

For whom is the message of Jesus, the gospel, good news?

Those who know they are:
→ Sinners, and in need of a savior.
→ Broken, and in need of healing.
→ Weary, and in need of rest.
→ Lonely, and in need of love.
→ Afraid, and in need of comfort.
→ Ashamed, and in need of forgiveness.
→ Weak, and in need of strength.

Strength is God’s thing. Weakness is ours.

The gospel is aimed at our hearts; at our point of need, our weakness, feelings, and fears.

“While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’”
Mark 2:15-17.
______________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Nate Taylor
Title: Arise: Awaken to New Life (Christ)
Text: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Campus: College Hill

“Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand and by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you unless you believed in vain. For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time, he also appeared to me.
For I am the least of the apostles, not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it is I or they, so we proclaim and so you have believed.”
1 Corinthians 15:1-11

1. What is the truth of the gospel?
2. What is the proof of the gospel?
3. What is the impact of the gospel?

1. What is the truth of the gospel?

• Christ Died for our sins
• Isaiah 53:5-7 “5 But He was pierced because of our transgressions, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on Him, and we are healed by His wounds. 6We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughter and like a sheep silent before her shearers, He did not open His mouth.”
• Christ’s presence on the cross was the evidence of a God with unconditional love.
• Christ’s death on that cross was the symbol of atonement for our sin that would satisfy a Holy God!
• Christ was Buried
• Christ was raised on the third day

2. What is the proof of the gospel?
3. What is the impact of the gospel?

When we encounter the real and living Jesus, everything changes.

The good news of the Gospel is that God’s knowledge of our sin doesn’t limit his love and grace for us. It only enhances it.

”The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed”
Luke 4:18

The Good news forces us to admit our need, meets that need with unmerited grace, and sustains us with the strength of Christ through the grace of God.

1. The Good news forces us to admit our need.
2. The Good news meets our needs without our effort.
3. The Good news sustains us and gives us strength through the grace of God.

• Where are you hiding your need or sin from God?
• What burden do you need to lay down at the feet of Jesus?
• What mission do you need to be willing to go on for God to use you?

______________________________________________________________________

Brenton Lehman, Teaching and Discipleship Pastor
Campus: Rivermont

Our Father who is in heaven, may your name be honored as holy.
May your Kingdom come, and your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the Evil One.
For Yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer Prompts
Prompt 1:
As we consider the households and people in the neighborhood around us, simply ask Jesus to give us his heart for this neighborhood.

Prompt 2:
Using the Lord's prayer as an example, pray for the Kingdom of God to come, and the will of God to be done, in Lynchburg and here on Daniel's Hill/Lower Rivermont as it is in heaven.

Prompt 3:
Pray for the entire city of Lynchburg, and for those who live in other neighborhoods. Pray that Jesus would bring his peace and life through his people all throughout this city.
___________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Resurrection Sunday
Text: Luke 24:1-35
Campus: Rivermont

“When they saw him they worshiped, but some doubted.”
Matthew 28:17

If Jesus really is alive, then it changes everything.

Come and see Jesus.

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they[a] came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared.”
Luke 24:1

“They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground.”
Luke 24:2-5a

“’Why are you looking for the living among the dead?’ asked the men. ‘He is not here, but he has risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee, saying, ‘It is necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’?’  And they remembered his words.”
Luke 24:5b-8

“Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them were telling the apostles these things. But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women.”
Luke 24:9-11

“Now that same day two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. Together they were discussing everything that had taken place.  And while they were discussing and arguing, Jesus himself came near and began to walk along with them. But they were prevented from recognizing him.
Then he asked them, ‘What is this dispute that you’re having with each other as you are walking?’ And they stopped walking and looked discouraged.
The one named Cleopas answered him, ‘Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that happened there in these days?’
‘What things?’ he asked them.
So they said to him, ‘The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in action and speech before God and all the people,  and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him. But we were hoping that he was the one who was about to redeem Israel. Besides all this, it’s the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women from our group astounded us. They arrived early at the tomb, and when they didn’t find his body, they came and reported that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they didn’t see him.’
He said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into his glory?’
Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted for them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures. They came near the village where they were going, and he gave the impression that he was going farther.
But they urged him, ‘Stay with us, because it’s almost evening, and now the day is almost over.”
So he went in to stay with them. It was as he reclined at the table with them that he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.  Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, but he disappeared from their sight.
They said to each other, ‘Weren’t our hearts burning within us while he was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scriptures to us?’
That very hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and those with them gathered together, who said, ‘The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!’
Then they began to describe what had happened on the road and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.”
Luke 24:13-35

It’s possible to know a lot about Jesus but still not know him at all, and totally miss the point.

This is the invitation of the resurrected Jesus to all of us today: Come, be with me. Follow me.

• What imitations of the gospel message are standing in the way of our wholehearted belief and relationship with Jesus?
• What imitations of the real thing have we as professing Christians bought into, like these people on the road to Emmaus?

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-3

“I did not come to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:45

“I came to seek and to save that which was lost.”
Luke 19:10

“I did not come into the world to judge the world, but to save the world.”
~Jesus of Nazareth (John 3:17)

“Look at me; pay attention. I’m standing at the door and I’m knocking. If you hear my voice, and you open the door, then I will come in and dine with you.”
~Jesus of Nazareth (Revelation 3:20)
______________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Resurrection Sunday
Text: Luke 24:1-35
Campus: College Hill

“I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
Revelation 3:20

Jesus is gentle and lowly; patiently waiting for us to have the courage to open the door.

Christ’s life, death, and, his resurrection are a testament to God’s nearness and dependability.

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared.”
Luke 24:1 (CSB)

“They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground.”
Luke 24:2-5a

“’Why are you looking for the living among the dead?’ asked the men.  ‘He is not here, but he has risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee, saying, ‘It is necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’?’ And they remembered his words.”
Luke 24:5b-8

The angels anchor the faith of these women in the Word of God and the gospel.

“But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women.”
Luke 24:11

The resurrection is connected to the whole story of God.

“Now that same day two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. Together they were discussing everything that had taken place. And while they were discussing and arguing, Jesus himself came near and began to walk along with them. But they[d] were prevented from recognizing him.”
Luke 24:13-16

“ ‘What things?’ he asked them.
So they said to him, ‘The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in action and speech before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him. But we were hoping that he was the one who was about to redeem Israel. Besides all this, it’s the third day since these things happened.’”
Luke 24:19-21

You can know a lot about Jesus, but still miss the point.

“He said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow[f] to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into his glory?’ Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted for them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures.”
Luke 24:25-27

Jesus anchors our faith in the Word of God and the gospel.

We study the Bible and retell the story of the gospel because God continues to make himself known to us through Christ.

“I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me, and rest; Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon My breast.” I came to Jesus as I was, Weary, and worn, and sad; I found in Him a resting-place, And He has made me glad.”
~I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Preston Burling
Title: Streams in the Wilderness: God’s Glory
Text: Exodus 33:12-22; 34:29-35
Campus: Rivermont

Do you relate to the prodigal heart?
Do you find yourself falling into unhealthy patterns, repent, pursue Jesus, and then fall back into these same patterns again?

Click here to see slide: Map

Our hearts are painfully and deceitfully wicked. They have an infinite appetite for desire.

“Moses said to the Lord, “Look, you have told me, ‘Lead this people up,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor with me.’ Now if I have indeed found favor with you, please teach me your ways, and I will know you, so that I may find favor with you. Now consider that this nation is your people.” And he replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” “If your presence does not go,” Moses responded to him, “don’t make us go up from here. How will it be known that I and your people have found favor with you unless you go with us? I and your people will be distinguished by this from all the other people on the face of the earth.” The Lord answered Moses, “I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor with me, and I know you by name.” Then Moses said, “Please, let me see your glory.” He said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name ‘the Lord’ before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” But he added, “You cannot see my face, for humans cannot see me and live.”  The Lord said, “Here is a place near me. You are to stand on the rock, and when my glory passes by, I will put you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back, but my face will not be seen.”
Exodus 33:12-23 (CSB)

1. For God’s presence to remain with the Israelites (Mediating)
2. Requesting to know the Lord more fully

“Please, show me your glory”

Click here to see slide: statue

Kāḇôḏ
Meaning: “heaviness or weightiness”
Used figuratively to represent splendor and honor

“For God who said, ’Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4:6

The manifestation of God’s glory comes in the person of Jesus Christ

Stream = Jesus (God’s glory, wrapped in flesh)

“As Moses descended from Mount Sinai—with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands as he descended the mountain—he did not realize that the skin of his face shone as a result of his speaking with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone! They were afraid to come near him.  But Moses called out to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community returned to him, and Moses spoke to them.  Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he commanded them to do everything the Lord had told him on Mount Sinai.  When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.  But whenever Moses went before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil until he came out. After he came out, he would tell the Israelites what he had been commanded, and the Israelites would see that Moses’s face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil over his face again until he went to speak with the Lord.”
Exodus 34:29-35

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at[e] the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:17-18

Are you reflecting God’s glory?

Radiating God’s glory requires intimate proximity and a consistent presence with Jesus.
______________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Jonathan Ignacio
Title: Streams in the Wilderness: God’s Glory
Text: Exodus 33:12-22
Campus: College Hill

“We tell stories because we’re broken creatures hungering for redemption.”
~Mike Cooper

If God has really given us this story. How we understand it and apply it as our story will influence how we experience the Christian life.

“The Bible presents this world as a divinely made stage for playing out the great story of human history… It’s a theatre above all for the display of God’s glory.”
~Mark Dever

God’s people are never sitting in the audience in the theater of God as spectators but we are active participants in the story God’s unfolding, even today.

Click here to see slide: Moses

““Moses said to the Lord, “Look, you have told me, ‘Lead this people up,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor with me.’ Now if I have indeed found favor with you, please teach me your ways, and I will know you, so that I may find favor with you. Now consider that this nation is your people.” And he replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” “If your presence does not go,” Moses responded to him, “don’t make us go up from here. How will it be known that I and your people have found favor with you unless you go with us? I and your people will be distinguished by this from all the other people on the face of the earth.” The Lord answered Moses, “I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor with me, and I know you by name.” Then Moses said, “Please, let me see your glory.” He said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name ‘the Lord’ before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” But he added, “You cannot see my face, for humans cannot see me and live.”  The Lord said, “Here is a place near me. You are to stand on the rock, and when my glory passes by, I will put you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.”
Exodus 33:12-22 (CSB)

The favor of God is now given and guaranteed simply by faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

“My presence” in verses 14, 20, & 23 in Hebrew literally means “my face.”

God’s presence literally dwelling in you by His Spirit is unique to Christians today than it was with the people of God in the OT. God is uniquely closer to us now than He was with Israel in the OT. This is the new covenant that Ezekiel 36:37 was speaking of, “I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes.”

“I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name ‘the Lord’ before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” But he added, “You cannot see my face, for humans cannot see me and live.”
Exodus 33:19-20

Click here to see slide: Rocks

Deep down in the human heart, whether we consciously feel it or not, we long to see glory. We were wired for glory.

Every glorious sight in creation is intended to point you to the One who infinitely worthy of your attention. Glory is its own argument.

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse (or skies) proclaims the work of his hands.”
Psalm 19:1

The Exodus story is our story. Delivering us from the slavery of sin, death, and suffering and leading us in a pilgrimage to the promised land with Jesus as the better and perfect Moses. Leading us to the promised land of the new heaven and new earth.

“The whole story of the Christian life is effectively an exodus story in a different key.”
~Andrew Wilson

“When we hear exodus stories we are listening to variations within the one great Story, a Story that finds its climax in the Great Exodus, as through the Passover sacrifice of his Son, the Father delivers us from the kingdom of Satan, leading us by the Spirit into the new creation.”
~Alastair Roberts

Click here to see slide: sea

Where Moses sought God’s glory. In Jesus we see God’s glory. In Jesus we see the face of God.

“For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4:6

The presence of God is now seen in Jesus the face of glory.

“but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:16-18

Moses radiated a glory that eventually faded. We behold a glory that will never fade because the Spirit of God living in us.
__________________________

Sermon Notes: Nate Taylor
Title: The Rest of God: Streams in the Wilderness
Text: Exodus 16:13-30
Campus: Rivermont

What is your picture of true rest?
 
Accepting and practicing the rest of God is a deliberate act of trust that changes our hearts, and transforms our way of living.
 
 “It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather as much of it as each person needs to eat. You may take two quarts per individual, according to the number of people each of you has in his tent.’”
Exodus 16:15b-16
 
 “They gathered it every morning. Each gathered as much as he needed to eat, but when the sun grew hot, it melted. On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, four quarts apiece, and all the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. He told them, “This is what the Lord has said: ’Tomorrow is a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you want to bake, and boil what you want to boil, and set aside everything left over to be kept until morning.’” So they set it aside until morning as Moses commanded, and it didn’t stink or have maggots in it. “Eat it today”, Moses said, “because today is a Sabbath day to the Lord. Today you won’t find any in the field. For six days you will gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.” Yet on the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they did not find any. Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commands and instructions? Understand that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he will give you two days worth of bread. Each of you stay where you are; no one is to leave his place on the seventh day.” So the people rested on the seventh day.”
Exodus 16:21-30
 
 “So the heavens and the earth and everything in them were completed. On the seventh day God had completed his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy for on it he rested from all his work of creation.”
Genesis 2:1-3  
 
God rested because he was finished.

1. The Sabbath is a day of complete rest. (v.23)
2. Sabbath is a day set aside to the Lord. (v.23)
3. Sabbath is a day that requires preparation and a change to the normal pattern of life. (v.23)
4. Sabbath is not optional (v.28)
5. Sabbath is a gift from the Lord (v.29)

 
 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
Exodus 20:8

“You must observe my Sabbaths, for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, so that you will know that I am the Lord who consecrates you. Observe the Sabbath, for it is holy to you. Whoever profanes it must be put to death. If anyone does work on it, that person must be cut off from his people.”
Exodus 31:13-16,  
 

1. God is trying to change their hearts from self-dependance to dependance on him. 

2. He is trying to show them that his character can be trusted.

 
“Israel could let the seventh day, even the seventh year, lie fallow because God himself had promised to feed his people. Israel could enter a land called rest precisely because God had prepared her way, giving her cities she did not build, cisterns she did not dig, vineyards she did not plant (referencing Deuteronomy 6:10–15). - Jen Pollock Michel
“The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. So then, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
Mark 2:27-28

Keeping the sabbath today is still a part of keeping our covenant with God.
 
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
 
1.  Have a Sabbath mind and heart.
 
“Any deep change in how we live begins with a deep change in how we think. The biblical word for this is repentance - in Greek, metanoia, a change of mind. Repentance is a ruthless dismantling of old ways of seeing and thinking, and then a diligent and vigilant building of new ones.” 
~Mark Buchanan
 

1. Do you need to build your trust in God? 
2. Do you need to lay down your pride? 

 
2. Establish Sabbath ways.

1. Set aside a 24hr period of time. 
2. Prepare to make this day set apart to honor God. 
3. Be intentional about creating room for rest and reliance on God.

 
God didn’t observe the Sabbath because he was tired, he did it because he was finished. We observe the Sabbath because it proves our dependence and trust in God to provide for all of our needs.
 
Just like God the father finished creation, Jesus finished the process of our redemption with his death on the cross.
__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: God’s Rest
Text: Exodus 16:15-30; Exodus 20:8-11
Campus: College Hill

Sabbath is a day of delight; a holy day set aside to rest, feast, and play.

Sabbath is a sign of freedom from the tyranny of this world and a clear display of our affiliation with God.

“Moses told them, ‘It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather as much of it as each person needs to eat. You may take two quarts per individual, according to the number of people each of you has in his tent.’”
Exodus 16:15b-16 (CSB)

“They gathered it every morning. Each gathered as much as he needed to eat, but when the sun grew hot, it melted. On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, four quarts apiece, and all the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. He told them, ‘This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you want to bake, and boil what you want to boil, and set aside everything left over to be kept until morning.’
So they set it aside until morning as Moses commanded, and it didn’t stink or have maggots in it. ‘Eat it today,’ Moses said, ‘because today is a Sabbath to the Lord. Today you won’t find any in the field. For six days you will gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none.’
Yet on the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they did not find any. Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘How long will you refuse to keep my commands and instructions? Understand that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he will give you two days’ worth of bread. Each of you stay where you are; no one is to leave his place on the seventh day.’ So the people rested on the seventh day.”
Exodus 16:21-30

God gave us Sabbath in order to set us apart from the world and to sustain us in the wilderness and beyond.

Sabbath basics:
1. Sabbath is a day of complete rest (v. 23)
2. Sabbath is day set aside to the Lord (v. 23)
“…without rest, we miss the rest of God: the rest he invites us to enter more fully so that we might know him more deeply.”
~Mark Buchanan
3. Sabbath is day that requires preparation and a change to our normal patterns of life (v. 23)
4. Sabbath is not optional (v. 28)
The reason why many of us fail to honor the Sabbath, and why we don’t prioritize it in our lives, is because we don’t fully trust God.
5. Sabbath is a gift from the Lord (v. 29)

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: You are to labor six days and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female servant, your livestock, or the resident alien who is within your city gates. For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.”
Exodus 20:8-11

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:28-29

When we choose to practice the Sabbath:
1) We distinguish ourselves from the world and a pace that is unsustainable.

When we choose to practice the Sabbath:
2) We display ourselves as God’s holy people.

When we choose to practice the Sabbath:
3) We learn to delight in God’s rest.

Where do I start?
a. Choose one 24-hour period a week.
b. Prepare in advance.
c. Be open handed, yet intentional
______________________________________________________________________

Kid City Notes
View all Kid City lesson videos by clicking HERE.

Lesson Overview
Session Title: Jesus’ Early Miracles
Bible Passage: Mark 1
Story Point: Jesus’ miracles helped people
Key Passage: John 3:16 “For 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.”
Big Picture Question: What makes people special? People are special because God made us in his own image.

Younger Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Activity: Guess Who
Supplies: None
Describe a job in simple terms and invite children to guess whom you are talking about. You may describe a teacher by saying “someone who helps a class of children learn things.” End the activity by describing Jesus as “the Son of God who came to save us.”
Say: You knew exactly who I was talking about! The people in our Bible story today knew that Jesus was the Son of God by the things He did. Jesus’ miracles helped people and showed that he is the Son of God.

Bible Story Questions

1. What did Jesus do for people who were sick? (He healed them)
2. When did Jesus go out by Himself to pray? (early in the morning)
3. Where did Jesus want to go so He could preach more? (nearby villages; throughout the land)
4. Does Jesus care about people? (Yes!)
5. What makes people special? (People are special because God made us in His own image)

Older Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Activity: Guess Who
Supplies: None
Describe a job in simple terms and invite children to guess whom you are talking about. You may describe a teacher by saying “someone who helps a class of children learn things.” End the activity by describing Jesus as “the Son of God who came to save us.”
Say: You knew exactly who I was talking about! The people in our Bible story today knew that Jesus was the Son of God by the things He did. Jesus’ miracles helped people and showed that he is the Son of God.

Bible Story Questions

1. What is a miracle? (Something that can only be explained by God’s work)
2. Why did Jesus perform miracles? (because He cared about people and wanted to show He was the Son of God.)
3. Why were people amazed by the miracles? (it showed that Jesus had power over sickness and evil spirits.)
4. What makes people special? (People are special because God made us in His own image)

Activity: Healing Tag
Supplies: Supplies: none
Ask children to spread around the room and pretend to be sick or hurt. Explain that when you or whoever is it tags them, they can stop pretending to be sick or hurt. When they are healed, they may go and heal other people around the room.
Say: Jesus healed many people just by a touch or a word. Jesus’ miracles helped people and showed that He is the Son of God. But large crowds gathered around Him and made it hard for Him to keep teaching. So Jesus often snuck away by Himself so He could pray and travel on. He wanted to tell more people about God’s love.
___________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Loving Relationships in the Wilderness
Text: Exodus 17:8-15, 18:13-18, Numbers 12:1-16
Campus: Rivermont

A family or a community is a group of people who desperately want to love each other, but don’t know how.

“At Rephidim, Amalek came and fought against Israel.“
Exodus 17:8

“Moses said to Joshua, ‘Select some men for us and go fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with God’s staff in my hand.’”
Exodus 17:9

“Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.”
Exodus 17:10

“While Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, but whenever he put his hand down, Amalek prevailed. When Moses’s hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword.
The Lord then said to Moses, ‘Write this down on a scroll as a reminder and recite it to Joshua: I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek under heaven.’
And Moses built an altar and named it, “The Lord Is My Banner.” 
He said, ‘Indeed, my hand is lifted up toward the Lord’s throne. The Lord will be at war with Amalek from generation to generation.’”
Exodus 17:11-16

Loving relationships are necessary, especially in the wilderness.

Check in:
If I am in or have been in a wilderness season, what has been my tendency: to pursue healthy, loving relationships? Or to withdraw from community?

Check in:
Right now, do I feel isolated and alone?
Or do I feel a sense of love and belonging?

Check in:
How has that affected my overall sense of peace and joy?
How has that affected my body? My soul?
Or my love for Jesus and my neighbor? My resilience?

“The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening. When Moses’s father-in-law saw everything he was doing for them he asked, ‘What is this you’re doing for the people? Why are you alone sitting as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?’
Moses replied to his father-in-law, ‘Because the people come to me to inquire of God. Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach them God’s statutes and laws.’
‘What you’re doing is not good,’ Moses’s father-in-law said to him. ‘You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone.’”
Exodus 18:13-18

Needing help is not being weak, it’s being human. Health, strength, wisdom, and maturity will have us asking for help, acknowledging our limits, and letting people in.

A family or a community is a group of people who desperately want to love each other, but don’t know how.

Loving relationships are necessary, especially in the wilderness. But they are hard.

“Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because of the Cushite woman he married (for he had married a Cushite woman).”
Numbers 12:1

“They said, ‘Does the Lord speak only through Moses? Does he not also speak through us?’ And the Lord heard it. Moses was a very humble man, more so than anyone on the face of the earth.
Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, ‘You three come out to the tent of meeting.’ So the three of them went out. Then the Lord descended in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the tent, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When the two of them came forward, he said:
‘Listen to what I say:
If there is a prophet among you from the Lord,
I make myself known to him in a vision;
I speak with him in a dream.
Not so with my servant Moses;
he is faithful in all my household.
I speak with him directly,
openly, and not in riddles;
he sees the form of the Lord.
So why were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?’
The Lord’s anger burned against them, and he left. As the cloud moved away from the tent, Miriam’s skin suddenly became diseased, resembling snow. When Aaron turned toward her, he saw that she was diseased and said to Moses, ‘My lord, please don’t hold against us this sin we have so foolishly committed. Please don’t let her be like a dead baby whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother’s womb.’
Then Moses cried out to the Lord, ‘God, please heal her!’”
Numbers 12:2-13

 “The one who walks with the wise will become wise. But the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
Proverbs 13:20

Loving relationships are necessary, especially in the wilderness. But they are hard. So we need Jesus.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
1 John 4:7-10
__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: God’s Love
Text: Exodus 17:8-13, 18:13-23, 1John 4:7-11
Campus: College Hill

All of God’s people go through seasons of plenty and we all go through seasons of little.

Have you ever been in a situation where you were ready to give up, but God brought someone along to walk with you and encourage you?

God gave us the gift of community and companionship as an expression of his faithful and sustaining love.

“At Rephidim, Amalek came and fought against Israel. Moses said to Joshua, ‘Select some men for us and go fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the hilltop with God’s staff in my hand.’”
Exodus 17:8-9 (CSB)

“Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought against Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. While Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, but whenever he put his hand down, Amalek prevailed. When Moses’s hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword.”
Exodus 17:10-13

In God’s Kingdom, the people who truly flourish are the ones who humbly acknowledge their limits and invite God and others into their weakness.

1. Have you come to terms with your humanity?
2. Who are your people?

“The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening. When Moses’s father-in-law saw everything he was doing for them he asked, ‘What is this you’re doing for the people? Why are you alone sitting as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?’”
Exodus 18:13-14

“’What you’re doing is not good,’ Moses’s father-in-law said to him. ‘You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can’t do it alone.’”
Exodus 18:17-18

“‘Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do. But you should select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating dishonest profit. Place them over the people as commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every major case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load, and they will bear it with you. If you do this, and God so directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied.’”
Exodus 18:20-23

You can’t do life alone.
we’re not designed to do life alone
we have limits.

Three things happen when we invite the right people into our lives:
1. we lighten our load (vv. 18, 22),
2. we put ourselves in a position to endure the challenges we’re facing and the tasks that we’re entrusted with (v. 23),
3. we maximize our capacity to bless others (v. 23).

A “safe” person is someone who:
1. Draws us closer to God.
2. Draws us closer to others.
3. Helps us become the real person God created us to be. (Dr. Cloud and Dr. Townsend)

Community and companionship is an expression of God’s faithful and sustaining love.

God’s love is the soil which enables us to have healthy, sustainable, and lifegiving relationships.

““Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.”
1 John 4:7-11 (CSB)

1. Have you come to terms with your humanity?
2. Who are your people?)
3. Are you resting in the love of God?
4. What could it look like for you to welcome God’s love by pressing into loving community?

______________________________________________________________________

Kid City Notes

View all Kid City lesson videos by clicking HERE.

Lesson Overview
Session Title: Jesus’ Early Miracles
Bible Passage: Mark 1
Story Point: Jesus’ miracles helped people
Key Passage: John 3:16 “For 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.”
Big Picture Question: What makes people special? People are special because God made us in his own image.

Younger Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Activity: Guess Who
Supplies: None
Describe a job in simple terms and invite children to guess whom you are talking about. You may describe a teacher by saying “someone who helps a class of children learn things.” End the activity by describing Jesus as “the Son of God who came to save us.”
Say: You knew exactly who I was talking about! The people in our Bible story today knew that Jesus was the Son of God by the things He did. Jesus’ miracles helped people and showed that he is the Son of God.

Bible Story Questions

1. What did Jesus do for people who were sick? (He healed them)
2. When did Jesus go out by Himself to pray? (early in the morning)
3. Where did Jesus want to go so He could preach more? (nearby villages; throughout the land)
4. Does Jesus care about people? (Yes!)
5. What makes people special? (People are special because God made us in His own image)

Older Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Activity: Guess Who
Supplies: None
Describe a job in simple terms and invite children to guess whom you are talking about. You may describe a teacher by saying “someone who helps a class of children learn things.” End the activity by describing Jesus as “the Son of God who came to save us.”
Say: You knew exactly who I was talking about! The people in our Bible story today knew that Jesus was the Son of God by the things He did. Jesus’ miracles helped people and showed that he is the Son of God.

Bible Story Questions

1. What is a miracle? (Something that can only be explained by God’s work)
2. Why did Jesus perform miracles? (because He cared about people and wanted to show He was the Son of God.)
3. Why were people amazed by the miracles? (it showed that Jesus had power over sickness and evil spirits.)
4. What makes people special? (People are special because God made us in His own image)

Activity: Healing Tag
Supplies: Supplies: none
Ask children to spread around the room and pretend to be sick or hurt. Explain that when you or whoever is it tags them, they can stop pretending to be sick or hurt. When they are healed, they may go and heal other people around the room.
Say: Jesus healed many people just by a touch or a word. Jesus’ miracles helped people and showed that He is the Son of God. But large crowds gathered around Him and made it hard for Him to keep teaching. So Jesus often snuck away by Himself so He could pray and travel on. He wanted to tell more people about God’s love.
__________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: God’s Provision in the Wilderness
Text: Exodus 15:22-16:35
Campus: Rivermont

In the wilderness places with God, we are formed as free people.

[click here to see image: Leaving Egypt Book cover]

“Every moment beyond the Red Sea reminded the Israelites that now they lived in a completely new reality called freedom - but it didn’t always feel so free...Israel found out that leaving Egypt was not all that easy.
When Israel emerged from Egypt, she wanted freedom, but she wasn’t yet ready for it. Though kept [by God] in the wilderness, she carried the habits and patterns of Egypt in her heart.
In the words of the Russian Orthodox theologian Nicolas Berdyaev, ‘Humanity is in a state of servitude. We frequently do not notice that we are slaves, and sometimes we love it. But humanity also aspires to be set free. It would be a mistake to think that the average person loves freedom. A still greater mistake would be to suppose that freedom is an easy thing. Freedom is a difficult thing’”.
~ Chuck DeGroat, Leaving Egypt: Finding God in the Wilderness Places.

In the wilderness, we will be confronted with our need and comforted by God’s provision.

“Then Moses led Israel on from the Red Sea, and they went out to the Wilderness of Shur. They journeyed for three days in the wilderness without finding water. 2They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water at Marah because it was bitter—that is why it was named Marah. The people grumbled to Moses, ‘What are we going to drink?’  So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he threw it into the water, the water became drinkable.
The Lord made a statute and ordinance for them at Marah, and he tested them there. He said, ‘If you will carefully obey the Lord your God, do what is right in his sight, pay attention to his commands, and keep all his statutes, I will not inflict any illnesses on you that I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.’
Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy date palms, and they camped there by the water.”
Exodus 15:22-27

Need: → An experienced, real need either brings us into or confronts us in the wilderness (scarcity, financial, emotional, relational, physical, etc).

What are my needs, something for which I need provision? What could the deeper need be in my heart?

 “the Lord … tested them there.”
Exodus 15:25b

Need → Invitation

“He said, ‘If you will carefully obey the Lord your God, do what is right in his sight, pay attention to his commands, and keep all his statutes, I will not inflict any illnesses on you that I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.’”
Exodus 15:26

 “Obedience is abundance”.
~ Dallas Willard

The way of obedience: A life under the authority and care of God, living out the ways of his good Kingdom.

Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord who Heals

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
Matthew 5:6

Need → Invitation → Healing

In the wilderness, we will be confronted with our need and comforted by God’s provision.

“If anyone is thirsty, let them come to me and drink. The one who believes in me, as the scriptures have said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within them.”
John 7:37-38

“I am the Bread of Life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again.”
John 6:35
__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Tim Geisland
Title: Streams in the Wilderness: God’s Provision
Text: Exodus 15:22-27; 16:1-12
Campus: College Hill

1. Compassion
2. Guidance
3. Provision
4. Love
5. Rest
6. Glory

In the wilderness places with God, we are formed as free people.

“Every moment beyond the Red Sea reminded the Israelites that now they lived in a completely new reality called freedom - but it didn’t always feel so free...Israel found out that leaving Egypt was not all that easy...
... When the people of Israel emerged from Egypt, they wanted freedom, but they were not yet ready for it. Though kept [by God] in the wilderness, they carried the habits and patterns of Egypt in her heart.”
~ Chuck DeGroat, “Leaving Egypt: Finding God in the Wilderness”

“'Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?'”
Galatians 4:8-9 NIV

“Then Moses led Israel on from the Red Sea, and they went out to the Wilderness of Shur. They journeyed for three days in the wilderness without finding water.”
Exodus 15:22 CSB

“They came to Marah, but they could not drink the water at Marah because it was bitter — that is why it was named Marah. The people grumbled to Moses, “What are we going to drink?”
Exodus 15:23

“So, he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he threw it into the water, the water became drinkable.”
Exodus 15:25a

“The Lord made a statute and ordinance for them at Marah, and he tested them there. He said, ‘If you will carefully obey the Lord your God, do what is right in his sight, pay attention to his commands, and keep all his statutes, I will not inflict any illnesses on you that I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.’”
Exodus 15:25b-26

“Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy date palms, and they camped there by the water.”
Exodus 15:27

Jehovah-Rapha, the Lord who Heals.

In the wilderness…

1. We see our need
2. God reveals our heart - the deeper need
3. God invites us to trust Him
4. God provides healing

Dependence upon God takes practice.

In the wilderness places with God, we are formed as free people.

How unbelievable was it when God said, “throw a tree into the river”, and the bitter water became sweet?

Even more so, how unbelievable is the Love of God toward us in Christ Jesus, that He would be hung on a tree, drink the bitter wine for us, take the penalty for sin that we deserve, conquer death, and invite us to be with him forever?

“When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Will you give me a drink?’ (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
The Samaritan woman said to him, ‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?’” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
John 4:7-9 NIV

“Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.’”
John 4:10 NIV

“’Sir,’ the woman said, ‘you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this “living water”? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?’”
John 4:11-12 NIV

“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’”
John 4:13-14 NIV

“The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.’
He told her, ‘Go, call your husband and come back.’
‘I have no husband,’ she replied.”
John 4:15-17a NIV

“Jesus said to her, ‘You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true’
‘Sir,’ the woman said, ’I can see that you are a prophet…’”
John 4:17b-19 NIV

“If anyone is thirsty, let them come to me and drink. The one who believes in me, as the scriptures have said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within them.”
John 7:37-38

“I am the Bread of Life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again.”
John 6:35

Kid City Notes

View all Kid City lesson videos by clicking HERE.

Lesson Overview
Session Title: Jesus’ Temptation
Bible Passage: Matthew 4; Mark 1; Luke 4
Story Point: Jesus was tempted and never sinned
Key Passage: John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Big Picture Question: Why did Jesus become human? Jesus became human to rescue sinners.

Younger Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Activity
Supplies: White board/paper; markers
Encourage children to name things that are sins. Write sins on chart paper or a dry erase board. Offer suggestions as needed. Be sure to include inward sins as well as external behaviors. (List sins in a generic way such as hitting other people instead of Trevor hitting Johnny)
Say: Sin is anything we do, say, or think that goes against God. Sometimes sins hurt other people, sometimes they hurt us, but all sin makes God sad. We all sin. We make wrong choices such as disobeying our parents. We hurt our friends by saying or doing mean things. We think things that are hateful and wrong. Jesus was tempted and never sinned. The devil tried to get Jesus to sin, but Jesus never sinned. Jesus always did the right thing. Jesus died on the cross to rescue us from sin. Because Jesus never sinned, God can forgive us for our sin. He can help us say no to sin when we are tempted too.

Bible Story Questions

1. What did the devil tell Jesus to do to the stones? (tell them to become bread)
2. What did the devil tell Jesus to do on top of the temple? (jump off)
3. What did the devil tell Jesus to do on the high mountain? (worship him)
4. Did Jesus do what the devil told Him to do? (no)
5. Did Jesus sin? (No, Jesus never sinned)

Older Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Activity
Supplies: White board/paper; markers
Encourage children to name things that are sins. Write sins on chart paper or a dry erase board. Offer suggestions as needed. Be sure to include inward sins as well as external behaviors. (List sins in a generic way such as hitting other people instead of Timmy hitting Johnny)
Say: Sin is anything we do, say, or think that goes against God. Sometimes sins hurt other people, sometimes they hurt us, but all sin makes God sad. We all sin. We make wrong choices such as disobeying our parents. We hurt our friends by saying or doing mean things. We think things that are hateful and wrong. Jesus was tempted and never sinned. The devil tried to get Jesus to sin, but Jesus never sinned. Jesus always did the right thing. Jesus died on the cross to rescue us from sin. Because Jesus never sinned, God can forgive us for our sin. He can help us say no to sin when we are tempted too.

Bible Story Questions

1. What did the Devil tell Jesus to do? (turn stones to bread, jump off the temple, worship the devil.)
2. Did Jesus obey the devil? (no, Jesus was tempted but never sinned)
3. How was Jesus able to never sin? (He was fully man and fully God.)
4. Why did Jesus become human? (Jesus became human to rescue sinners.)

Activity: Yes or No
Supplies: Green sheet of paper; tape; marker
Write yes on a green sheet of paper and no on a red sheet. Tape the two papers on opposite walls. Point out each sign to children. Suggest situations where children should say “yes” and “no”. Suggested situations include when you want to take something that belongs to someone else, when you want to share a toy with a friend, etc. Encourage the children to move to the correct sign to answer. Allow children to take turns suggesting situations.
Say: Sometimes we really want to do something that we know is wrong. We call that being tempted. In our Bible story today, Jesus said no to temptation. Jesus was tempted and never sinned. When given the option, Jesus never sinned! He was perfect.
__________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Life on Mission
Text: Colossians 4:2-6
Campus: Rivermont

Epiphany: Revelation.
God wants to be known.

Our vision for 2021:

Making Jesus Known by practicing:

• Gospel Transformation
• Radical Generosity
• Emotional Health
• Membership & Belonging
• Life in Community
• Life on Mission.

Mission: Latin, “missio” = sent.

“Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.' After saying this, he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'"
John 20:21-22

“Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter.”
~Charles Spurgeon

“Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, so that I may make it known as I should. Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.”
Colossians 4:2-6 (CSB)

4-2a. - be strongly, firmly devoted, to, make it our posture to endure, always in ... prayer: speaking to and listening to God.
Our fuel for mission is not a passion for mission, to see people come to know Jesus. Our fuel for a life on mission, is a passion for Jesus.

A true movement of the gospel will be the fruit of a movement of the Spirit that first renews the church’s love for Jesus.

4:2b. - Keep awake, eyes wide-open, watching for God in [prayer]

Our public witness is the overflow of our life together in God.

4:3-4. - “At the same time, praying also for us, that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, so that I may make it known, speaking as I should.”

We can both know Jesus, and never get to the end of what there is to know of him. He is both Word and Mystery.

4:5. - Live in wisdom among a watching world; always season every word with grace, like salt, so that you might discern how to address each person.

Name(s) of people who don’t know Jesus: Take a moment to pray for them.

Benediction:
We are the people of God, rescued by the Son, and empowered by the Spirit to live on mission in our homes, communities, and world.

We strive to love God, grow in community, and reach out with the love of Christ.
__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Life on Mission
Text: Colossians 4:2-6
Campus: College Hill

At Gospel Community – we want to know Jesus and make him known in our homes, community, and world.

“Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.”
Colossians 3:14-15 (CSB)

“May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.”
John 17:21

“… so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.”
John 17:24

Jesus Christ’s mission and our mission is to display, and to declare, God’s love to the world.

In Colossians 4:2-6, we’re invited into prayerful, wise, and purposeful life.

“Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, so that I may make it known as I should. Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.”
Colossians 4:2-6 (CSB)

Prayer is an act of obedience which activates God’s power in our lives.

God’s people are called to pray with mental alertness.

God’s people pray expectant prayers.

God’s people pray grateful prayers.

“At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, so that I may make it known as I should. “
Colossians 4:3-4

As followers of Jesus Christ, our deepest desires and our earnest prayers should be that God would make himself known.

Christians don’t just pray about gospel proclamation; we actively participate in gospel proclamation.

“Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.”
Colossians 4:5-6

A lack of being with Jesus will amount to a shallow faith which lacks the power of the gospel.

“Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.”
Colossians 4:6 (NLT)

Let’s prioritize the practice of being with Jesus, before we do things for Jesus.

Let’s be intentional with those who are lost.
__________________________________________________________

Kid City Notes

View all Kid City lesson videos by clicking HERE.

Lesson Overview
Session Title: Jesus’ Temptation
Bible Passage: Matthew 4; Mark 1; Luke 4
Story Point: Jesus was tempted and never sinned
Key Passage: John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Big Picture Question: Why did Jesus become human? Jesus became human to rescue sinners.

Younger Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Activity
Supplies: White board/paper; markers
Encourage children to name things that are sins. Write sins on chart paper or a dry erase board. Offer suggestions as needed. Be sure to include inward sins as well as external behaviors. (List sins in a generic way such as hitting other people instead of Trevor hitting Johnny)
 Say: Sin is anything we do, say, or think that goes against God. Sometimes sins hurt other people, sometimes they hurt us, but all sin makes God sad. We all sin. We make wrong choices such as disobeying our parents. We hurt our friends by saying or doing mean things. We think things that are hateful and wrong. Jesus was tempted and never sinned. The devil tried to get Jesus to sin, but Jesus never sinned. Jesus always did the right thing. Jesus died on the cross to rescue us from sin. Because Jesus never sinned, God can forgive us for our sin. He can help us say no to sin when we are tempted too.

Bible Story Questions

1. What did the devil tell Jesus to do to the stones? (tell them to become bread)
2. What did the devil tell Jesus to do on top of the temple? (jump off)
3. What did the devil tell Jesus to do on the high mountain? (worship him)
4. Did Jesus do what the devil told Him to do? (no)
5. Did Jesus sin? (No, Jesus never sinned)

Older Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Activity
Supplies: White board/paper; markers
Encourage children to name things that are sins. Write sins on chart paper or a dry erase board. Offer suggestions as needed. Be sure to include inward sins as well as external behaviors. (List sins in a generic way such as hitting other people instead of Timmy hitting Johnny)
Say: Sin is anything we do, say, or think that goes against God. Sometimes sins hurt other people, sometimes they hurt us, but all sin makes God sad. We all sin. We make wrong choices such as disobeying our parents. We hurt our friends by saying or doing mean things. We think things that are hateful and wrong. Jesus was tempted and never sinned. The devil tried to get Jesus to sin, but Jesus never sinned. Jesus always did the right thing. Jesus died on the cross to rescue us from sin. Because Jesus never sinned, God can forgive us for our sin. He can help us say no to sin when we are tempted too.

Bible Story Questions

1. What did the Devil tell Jesus to do? (turn stones to bread, jump off the temple, worship the devil.)
2. Did Jesus obey the devil? (no, Jesus was tempted but never sinned)
3. How was Jesus able to never sin? (He was fully man and fully God.)
4. Why did Jesus become human? (Jesus became human to rescue sinners.)

Activity: Yes or No
Supplies: Green sheet of paper; tape; marker
Write yes on a green sheet of paper and no on a red sheet. Tape the two papers on opposite walls. Point out each sign to children. Suggest situations where children should say “yes” and “no”. Suggested situations include when you want to take something that belongs to someone else, when you want to share a toy with a friend, etc. Encourage the children to move to the correct sign to answer. Allow children to take turns suggesting situations.
Say: Sometimes we really want to do something that we know is wrong. We call that being tempted. In our Bible story today, Jesus said no to temptation. Jesus was tempted and never sinned. When given the option, Jesus never sinned! He was perfect.
__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Nate Taylor - Executive Pastor
Title: Making Jesus Known: A Community Formed in Christ
Text: Colossians 3:12-17
Campus: Rivermont

The Church is a Christ-centered family – a diverse community that is committed to Christ, to each other, and to God’s mission in the world.

Church as family, a gospel centered community, is God’s plan for making Jesus known in our world still today.

“Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.”
Genesis 1:26

What is the primary source of your thinking?
What is feeding into your thoughts and thought process?

“Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.”
Colossians 3:12-13

 “Compassion is love in action rooted in a tender heart.”
~ Daniel Akin

Kindness is acting on behalf of one another as if they were truly your own blood.

Humility suggests service that may go unnoticed, but without a care for who gets the glory.

Lindemann, a biblical commentator, defines gentleness as, “the power which, in a situation of conflict, enables us to criticize another’s conduct so that they experience it as help and not as condemnation.”

What if we truly sought not to be right, but to be helpful?

Patience is the willingness to tolerate wrongs, and to forgo our right to punish or exact revenge when it is in our power.

These characteristics were designed to be practiced in relationships with one another.

What is in your life that is trying to kill you, but you are allowing it to stay because it has been there so long?
What are you comfortable with that doesn’t fit with the life hidden in Christ?

“Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.”
Colossians 3:14-15

“May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.”
John 17:21

Relationships bring out the tension between the war of our fleshly desires and the response of the new life hidden in Christ.

“Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:16-17

You see, the family of God cannot resist seeking to glorify their father in heaven.

“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this EVERYONE will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”
John 13:35

Believe in Him
Commit to where you are
Don’t bail when conflict arises

“And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
Acts 2:45-47

When we commit to the hard but rewarding work of being a family everything changes.
What God can do with a surrendered church family is unlimited.
He can truly change the world.
__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Jonathan Ignacio
Title: Making Jesus Known: A Community Formed in Christ
Text: Colossians 3:12-17
Campus: College Hill

“Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.
Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:12-17
_____________________________________________________________________

Kid City Notes

View all Kid City lesson videos by clicking HERE.

Lesson Overview
Session Title: Jesus’ Temptation
Bible Passage: Matthew 4; Mark 1; Luke 4
Story Point: Jesus was tempted and never sinned
Key Passage: John  3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Big Picture Question: Why did Jesus become human? Jesus became human to rescue sinners.

Younger Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Activity
Supplies: White board/paper; markers
Encourage children to name things that are sins. Write sins on chart paper or a dry erase board. Offer suggestions as needed. Be sure to include inward sins as well as external behaviors. (List sins in a generic way such as hitting other people instead of Trevor hitting Johnny)
 Say: Sin is anything we do, say, or think that goes against God. Sometimes sins hurt other people, sometimes they hurt us, but all sin makes God sad. We all sin. We make wrong choices such as disobeying our parents. We hurt our friends by saying or doing mean things. We think things that are hateful and wrong. Jesus was tempted and never sinned. The devil tried to get Jesus to sin, but Jesus never sinned. Jesus always did the right thing. Jesus died on the cross to rescue us from sin. Because Jesus never sinned, God can forgive us for our sin. He can help us say no to sin when we are tempted too.

Bible Story Questions

1. What did the devil tell Jesus to do to the stones? (tell them to become bread)
2. What did the devil tell Jesus to do on top of the temple? (jump off)
3. What did the devil tell Jesus to do on the high mountain? (worship him)
4. Did Jesus do what the devil told Him to do? (no)
5. Did Jesus sin? (No, Jesus never sinned)

Older Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Activity
Supplies: White board/paper; markers
Encourage children to name things that are sins. Write sins on chart paper or a dry erase board. Offer suggestions as needed. Be sure to include inward sins as well as external behaviors. (List sins in a generic way such as hitting other people instead of Timmy hitting Johnny)
Say: Sin is anything we do, say, or think that goes against God. Sometimes sins hurt other people, sometimes they hurt us, but all sin makes God sad. We all sin. We make wrong choices such as disobeying our parents. We hurt our friends by saying or doing mean things. We think things that are hateful and wrong. Jesus was tempted and never sinned. The devil tried to get Jesus to sin, but Jesus never sinned. Jesus always did the right thing. Jesus died on the cross to rescue us from sin. Because Jesus never sinned, God can forgive us for our sin. He can help us say no to sin when we are tempted too.

Bible Story Questions

1. What did the Devil tell Jesus to do? (turn stones to bread, jump off the temple, worship the devil.)
2. Did Jesus obey the devil? (no, Jesus was tempted but never sinned)
3. How was Jesus able to never sin? (He was fully man and fully God.)
4. Why did Jesus become human? Jesus became human to rescue sinners.)

Activity: Yes or No
Supplies: Green sheet of paper; tape; marker
Write yes on a green sheet of paper and no on a red sheet. Tape the two papers on opposite walls. Point out each sign to children. Suggest situations where children should say “yes” and “no”. Suggested situations include when you want to take something that belongs to someone else, when you want to share a toy with a friend, etc. Encourage the children to move to the correct sign to answer. Allow children to take turns suggesting situations.
Say: Sometimes we really want to do something that we know is wrong. We call that being tempted. In our Bible story today, Jesus said no to temptation. Jesus was tempted and never sinned. When given the option, Jesus never sinned! He was perfect.
__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes:  Andrew Moroz
Title: Church as Family
Text: Colossians 1:2, 4:7-17
Campus: Rivermont

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, and Timothy our brother:
To the saints in Christ at Colossae, who are faithful brothers and sisters.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.”
Colossians 1:1-2 (CSB)

“Tychicus, our dearly loved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and so that he may encourage your hearts. He is coming with Onesimus, a faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.
Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin (concerning whom you have received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), and so does Jesus who is called Justus. These alone of the circumcised are my coworkers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.
Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured in everything God wills. For I testify about him that he works hard for you, for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.
Luke, the dearly loved physician, and Demas send you greetings.
Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her home. After this letter has been read at your gathering, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. And tell Archippus, ‘Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it.’”
Colossians 4:7-17

The Church is a Christ-centered family – a diverse community that is committed to Christ, to each other, and to God’s mission in the world.

There is no church without the gospel. And there is no church without gospel-centered community.

The church is a community of people who are set apart by God and identified by the nature of their relationship with him.
1. The church is a diverse family.
2. The church is a family that serves together and each other.
3. The church is a family that prays together.
4. The church is a family that’s connected within local communities, but it’s also a family that’s connected to a broader global community.
5. The church is an accountable family.

Deacon Team = “Care Team”

Membership is a way to help each other identify who’s actually in our church family, and it’s a pathway to belonging.

Our dream: to be a diverse, Christ-centered, family – committed to Christ, to each other, and to God’s mission in the world.

Next Steps:
1. Connection Class (sign up online or via app),
2. Look out for upcoming information about the Care Team (Deacon Team)
__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Church as Family
Text: Colossians 1:2, 4:7-17
Campus: College Hill

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, and Timothy our brother:
To the saints in Christ at Colossae, who are faithful brothers and sisters.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.”
Colossians 1:1-2; 4:7-17 (CSB)

“Tychicus, our dearly loved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and so that he may encourage your hearts. He is coming with Onesimus, a faithful and dearly loved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.
Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, Barnabas’s cousin (concerning whom you have received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), and so does Jesus who is called Justus. These alone of the circumcised are my coworkers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me.
Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. He is always wrestling for you in his prayers, so that you can stand mature and fully assured in everything God wills. For I testify about him that he works hard for you, for those in Laodicea, and for those in Hierapolis.
Luke, the dearly loved physician, and Demas send you greetings.
Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her home.
After this letter has been read at your gathering, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. And tell Archippus, ‘Pay attention to the ministry you have received in the Lord, so that you can accomplish it.’”
Colossians 4:7-17

The Church is a Christ-centered family – a diverse community that is committed to Christ, to each other, and to God’s mission in the world.

There is no church without the gospel. And there is no church without gospel-centered community.

The church is a community of people who are set apart by God and identified by the nature of their relationship with him.
1. The church is a diverse family.
2. The church is a family that serves together and each other.
3. The church is a family that prays together.
4. The church is a family that’s connected within local communities, but it’s also a family that’s connected to a broader global community.
5. The church is an accountable family.

Deacon Team = “Care Team”

Membership is a way to help each other identify who’s actually in our church family, and it’s a pathway to belonging.

Our dream: to be a diverse, Christ-centered, family – committed to Christ, to each other, and to God’s mission in the world.

Next Steps:
1. Connection Class (sign up online or via app),
2. Look out for upcoming information about the Care Team (Deacon Team)
_____________________________________________________________________

Kid City

View Kid City lesson videos by clicking HERE.

Lesson Overview
Session Title:  Jesus’ Baptism
Bible Passage: Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3; John 1
Story Point: John baptized Jesus.
Key Passage: John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Big Picture Question: Why did Jesus become human? Jesus became human to rescue sinners.

Younger Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills
Supplies: None
Lead children to line up on one side of the room. Explain that children will walk from one side of the room to the other until they hear you say the word repent. When you say repent, they should turn around and walk the other direction.
Say: Repent means to turn away from sin and turn to Jesus. John told people to repent and be baptized. People listened to John and they started to repent; they were sorry for their sins and asked God to forgive them. Then John baptized them in the Jordan River. Later, John baptized Jesus even though He had never sinned.

Bible Story Questions

1. Where did John the Baptist live? (In the wilderness)
2. What did John do when people said they were sorry for their sins? (He baptized them in the Jordan River.)
3. What did Jesus ask John to do (baptize Him)
4. What happened when John baptized Jesus? (the sky opened, and Jesus saw God’s Spirit coming down on Him like a dove. Then God’s voice came from heaven. “This is my son,” the voice said, “I love Him, and I am very happy with Him!”)
5. Why did Jesus become human? (Jesus became human to rescue sinners.)

Older Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills
Supplies: None
Lead children to line up on one side of the room. Explain that children will walk from one side of the room to the other until they hear you say the word repent. When you say repent, they should turn around and walk the other direction.
Say: Repent means to turn away from sin and turn to Jesus. John told people to repent and be baptized. People listened to John and they started to repent; they were sorry for their sins and asked God to forgive them. Then John baptized them in the Jordan River. Later, John baptized Jesus even though He had never sinned.

Bible Story Questions

1. What did John do when people said they were sorry for their sins? (He baptized them in the Jordan River.)
2. What happened when John baptized Jesus? (the sky opened, and Jesus saw God’s Spirit coming down on Him like a dove. Then God’s voice came from heaven. “This is my son,” the voice said, “I love Him, and I am very happy with Him!”)
3. Why did Jesus become human? (Jesus became human to rescue sinners.)

Activity Choice: Drawing Jesus’ baptism
Supplies: Paper and drawing supplies
Give each of the children a piece of construction paper. Instruct the children to draw the scene of Jesus’ baptism step by step (Draw water, land, people on the land, John the Baptist, Jesus, a dove from Heaven).
Say: John taught and preached. Many people came to hear him. When the people said they were sorry for their sins and asked God to forgive them, John baptized them. John was surprised when Jesus asked to be baptized, but John baptized Jesus. Then God’s Spirit came down on Jesus like a dove. God’s voice came from Heaven. “This is My Son. I love Him, and I am very happy with Him!” John knew Jesus was God’s son.
 _________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Nate Taylor - Executive Pastor
Title: Making Jesus Known: Hidden in Christ
Text: Colossians 3:1-12
Campus: Rivermont.
 
What are you thinking about?

The average human will have about 6,200 thoughts per day.

If you are awake for 16 hours and sleeping for 8, that during your waking hours you average 387.5 thoughts per hour, or 6.5 thoughts per minute, or 1 thought every 9.23 seconds.

What is the primary source of your thinking? What is feeding into your thoughts and thought process?

“So, if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Colossians 3:1-4 (CSB)

“We demolish arguments and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4b-5

As we pursue Christ and the heavenly, we are becoming ever more transformed into his image. We are being sanctified, set apart to live a different type of life.

When we are hidden in Christ, we begin to see the world and ourselves differently.

When we trust that we can see ourselves differently, that gives us permission to take a hard look at what is beneath the surface of our thoughts and actions.

“Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient, and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices.”
Colossians 3:5-9

We MUST put our earthly nature to death. The things of this earth are no longer in control, we have been raised with Christ.

What are the sources of deadly thinking in your life?

What is in your life that is trying to kill you, but you are allowing it to stay because it has been there so long? What are you comfortable with that doesn’t fit with the life hidden in Christ?

“Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator. In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,”
Colossians 3:9-12

The new self is in the new family of Jesus that breaks down barriers of race, nationality, class, culture and ethnicity.
When the weeds of sin and death begin to grow, we extricate them, and we water the flowers, and the fruit of a life hidden in Christ.

In Christ we can look below the surface of our lives with his strength, let him take our old self, and replace every part of it with the newness we find in him.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!”
Psalm 139:23

• Where is there the evidence of some of the old self growing like a weed that needs to be plucked out?
• Where is there evidence of the fruit of Christ that needs to be cultivated, and watered and grown?

There is nothing in you that Christ has not dealt with, and that he doesn’t already know about. There is nothing in you he has not defeated.
__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Preston Burling
Title: Epiphany: Live in Christ
Text: Colossians 3:1-12
Campus: College Hill

“So, if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient, and you once walked in these things when you were living in them.  But now, put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth.

Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.
In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,”
Colossians 3:1-12 (CSB)

Click here to see Appalachian Trail photo
Click here to see Mount Everest photo

Believers exist for the one in whom the true fullness of treasures, knowledge and wisdom can be found, Christ and Christ alone.

Three Sections:
“Put on” (verses 1-4)
“Put off” (verses 5-9)
“Put on” (verses 10-12)

“So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Colossians 3:1-4

1. In Christ, earth is viewed through a heavenly lens.

The Christian life is one spent with the mind placed in the heavenlies with Christ, but our feet planted on the ground.
Every moment of our lives here on earth receives guidance and direction from Christ, who is in heaven.

2. In Christ, the lens of heaven prescribes slaying the earthly

“Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it while you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.”
~John Owen

“Murder sin with pleasure”
~Richard Chin

Since Jesus took such severe measures to conquer sin for mankind, we must take severe measures to do the same in our own lives.

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.”
Colossians 4:6

3. In Christ, Believers strive for the things of God.

A believer’s Identity “in Christ”:
I am justified
I am free
I am adopted
I am secure
I am unfinished

“I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6

Christ + Nothing = Everything

1. Do I believe I have been raised to new life in Christ?
If so, then
2. What earthly things do I need to “put off” and what heavenly things do I need to “put on” so that I may live my life more fully in Christ?
____________________________________________________________

KidsCity

Click here to watch our Kid City video that corresponds to this sermon guide. https://vimeo.com/showcase/7960320

Session Title: Jesus as a Child
Bible passage: Matthew 2; Luke 2
Story point: Jesus came to earth to do His Father’s plan.
Key passage: John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Big Picture Question: Is Jesus God or a human? Jesus is both fully God and fully human. 

Younger Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Key Passage Activity
Supplies: None
Look around the classroom and choose an item. Describe the item to preschoolers, mentioning its color and shape. Give additional clues and ask a child if he knows where the item is. Guide him to walk over and point to the item. Allow children to take turns describing items and guessing where each item is. Be prepared to offer assistance as needed.
Say: When Jesus was 12 years old, He went with his parents, Mary and Joseph, to Jerusalem. After the celebration, Mary and Joseph started traveling home with a large group of people. Later, they discovered Jesus was not with them! They did not know where He was. Later, they found out that He was in the temple learning from the teacher. Jesus said that the Temple was His Father’s house! Jesus came to earth to do His Father’s plan.

Bible Story Questions
1. Why did Jesus’ family travel to Jerusalem? (For a special celebration called Passover)
2. How old was Jesus in today’s story? (12 years old)
3. What did Mary and Joseph realize after they were on their way home to Nazareth? (Jesus was not with them; they couldn’t find Jesus.)
4. Where did Mary and Joseph find Jesus? (the temple)
5. Why did Jesus stay at the temple (to listen to the teachers and ask questions, to be in His Father’s house)
6. Is Jesus God or a human? (Jesus is both fully God and fully human)

Older Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Key Passage Activity
Supplies: None
Look around the classroom and choose an item. Describe the item to preschoolers, mentioning its color and shape. Give additional clues and ask a child if he knows where the item is. Guide him to walk over and point to the item. Allow children to take turns describing items and guessing where each item is. Be prepared to offer assistance as needed.
Say: When Jesus was 12 years old, He went with his parents, Mary and Joseph, to Jerusalem. After the celebration, Mary and Joseph started traveling home with a large group of people. Later, they discovered Jesus was not with them! They did not know where He was. Later, they found out that He was in the temple learning from the teacher. Jesus said that the Temple was His Father’s house! Jesus came to earth to do His Father’s plan.

Bible Story Questions

1. In what ways does the Bible say Jesus grew when He was a young boy? (Strength, wisdom, and filled with God’s grace)
2. Why were Jesus and His parents, Mary and Joseph, in Jerusalem? (To celebrate a Jewish holiday, Passover)
3. Where did Mary and Joseph find Jesus after they lost him and what was He doing? (in the temple; learning from the teachers)
4. Why did Jesus come to Earth? (To do His Father’s plan)

Activity: Hide and Seek
Supplies: None
Pick one person in the family to be the “finder.” Have the “finder” countdown from ten while the rest of the family hides in the house. When the “finder” has finished counting, they can look around the room to see where everyone was hiding. Repeat and let others have a turn at being the “finder.”
Say: Mary and Joseph couldn’t find Jesus ANYWHERE on their way back from Jerusalem! But Jesus said that they should have known all along that He was going to be in His Father’s house. Jesus was sent on Earth to do God’s plan, and He knew that even when he was a young boy!
_______________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Making Jesus Known: Radical Generosity 
Text: Colossians 1:24-2:3, Revelation 3:15-22
Campus: Rivermont

Epiphany is all about the way that God reveals himself to us through Jesus Christ, and it’s a season of intentional gospel proclamation.

Paul confronts materialism by challenging the Colossian Christians to look beyond this physical world and to pursue the enduring wealth of knowing Christ.

“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for his body, that is, the church.”
Colossians 1:24 (CSB)

“God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Colossians 1:27

Our peace and satisfaction aren’t dependent on outward materialistic superiority but is the fruit of inward transformation.

“I labor for this, striving with his strength that works powerfully in me.”
Colossians 1:29

“For I want you to know how greatly I am struggling for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person.  I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ.  In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Colossians 2:1-3

Paul wanted followers of Jesus:
1) to be encouraged,
2) to be united in love,
3) having a complete knowledge of Christ.

Knowing Christ breaks the grasp of materialism in our lives.

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.  I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent. See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.’  ‘To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.’  ‘Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Revelation 3:15-22

The Christians in Laodicea had prioritized their wealth and their medicine, but that’s not the right currency for lasting satisfaction and peace.

In what ways are we like Laodicea?
How have we misdirected our faith or misplaced our hope?
When God convicts our hearts, where do we turn?

Jesus offered to cover their shame with His righteousness (v. 18).
Jesus offers intimacy and satisfaction (v. 20).
Jesus doesn’t just want us to feast with him but to be satisfied by him.

At GCC, we want to prioritize and worship Jesus – by practicing silence and solitude and pursuing radical generosity.

What if you adopted those two practices this year?
___________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Making Jesus Known: Radical Generosity 
Text: Colossians 1:24-2:3, Revelation 3:15-22
Campus: College Hill

Epiphany is all about the way that God reveals himself to us through Jesus Christ, and it’s a season of intentional gospel proclamation.

Paul confronts materialism by challenging the Colossian Christians to look beyond this physical world and to pursue the enduring wealth of knowing Christ.

“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for his body, that is, the church.”
Colossians 1:24 (CSB)

“God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Colossians 1:27

Our peace and satisfaction aren’t dependent on outward materialistic superiority but is the fruit of inward transformation.

“I labor for this, striving with his strength that works powerfully in me.”
Colossians 1:29

“For I want you to know how greatly I am struggling for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person.  I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ.  In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Colossians 2:1-3

Paul wanted followers of Jesus: 
1) to be encouraged,
2) to be united in love,
3) having a complete knowledge of Christ.

Knowing Christ breaks the grasp of materialism in our lives.

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.  I advise you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be zealous and repent. See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.’  ‘To the one who conquers I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.’  ‘Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Revelation 3:15-22

The Christians in Laodicea had prioritized their wealth and their medicine, but that’s not the right currency for lasting satisfaction and peace.

In what ways are we like Laodicea?
How have we misdirected our faith or misplaced our hope?
When God convicts our hearts, where do we turn?

Jesus offered to cover their shame with His righteousness (v. 18).
Jesus offers intimacy and satisfaction (v. 20).
Jesus doesn’t just want us to feast with him but to be satisfied by him.

At GCC, we want to prioritize and worship Jesus – by practicing silence and solitude and pursuing radical generosity.

What if you adopted those two practices this year?
___________________________________________

Kid City Notes

View all Kid City lesson videos by clicking HERE.

Lesson Overview
Title: Jesus Was Dedicated
Bible Passage: Luke 2
Story Point: Simeon and Anna worshipped Jesus
Key Passage: John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Big Picture Question: Is Jesus God or a human? Jesus is both fully God and fully human.  

Younger Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Key Passage Activity:
Supplies: None
Gather preschoolers together. Suggest a simple action, such as run in place, pat your head, or wave to a friend. Instruct them to wait to begin moving until a signal is given. Watch a clock as children anticipate beginning to move. Build excitement and finally give the signal for the boys and girls to move. Continue playing and emphasize the waiting, pre-movement time.
Say: Simeon and Anna waited a long time to meet Jesus. God promised Simeon that he would not die until he saw the Savior had been born. Simeon and Anna worshiped Jesus and told others the good news.

Bible Story Questions:

1. Where did Jesus’ earthly parents, Mary and Joseph, take Him to obey God’s rules? (the temple)
2. What promise did God make to Simeon? ( Simeon would not die until he saw the Messiah, Jesus)
3. What did Simeon say it would be like for Mary to be Jesus’ mother? (very good, but very hard)
4. Is Jesus God or a human? (Jesus is both fully God and fully human)

Activity: Coloring
Supplies: Paper and coloring utensils
Draw a picture of Simeon celebrating Jesus being born!
Say: People waited for Jesus to be born for so long! They were so excited when they realized the savior was finally here! Jesus was sent to the world as fully God and fully Human to save us from our sin.

Older Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Key Passage Activity:
Supplies: Paper and Pen
Write out each word of the passage and then erase one word at a time. Try to have the kids remember the blanks in the passages as you erase them.
Say: The Bible says that Jesus was with God from the beginning and that He was God!

Bible Story Questions:

1. Where did Jesus’ earthly parents, Mary and Joseph, take Him to obey God’s rules? (the temple)
2. What promise did God make to Simeon? ( Simeon would not die until he saw the Messiah, Jesus)
3. What did Simeon say it would be like for Mary to be Jesus’ mother? (very good, but very hard)
4. Is Jesus God or a human? (Jesus is both fully God and fully human)

Activity: Coloring
Supplies: Paper and coloring utensils
Draw a picture of Simeon celebrating Jesus being born!
Say: People waited for Jesus to be born for so long! They were so excited when they realized the savior was finally here! Jesus was sent to the world as fully God and fully Human to save us from our sin.
___________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes:  Andrew Moroz
Title: Making Jesus Known: Gospel Transformation
Text: Colossians 1:9-20
Campus: Rivermont

God gave us his gospel and the Church to be a vehicle for discipleship and transformation.
 
“...discipleship means being an apprentice of Jesus in our daily existence.”
“...a disciple is simply someone who has decided to be with another person…in order to learn to do what that person does, or to become what that person is.” 
~Dallas Willard
 
Epiphany: comes from a Greek word which points to an act of revealing, unveiling, or appearing.
 
Jesus is God in the flesh; Sovereign leader over all creation and our enduring hope in life and death.

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through him and for him.
He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.
He is also the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
Colossians 1:15-20 (CSB)

1. Jesus is the visible expression of God (vv. 15, 19)
2. Jesus is the head of the Church (v. 18)
3. Jesus is God’s instrument of redemption and peace (vv. 19-20)
 
Our vision: life transformation through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We desire: 
Personal transformation.
Corporate transformation.
Global transformation.

“For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.”
Colossians 1:9-12 (CSB)

What does gospel transformation look like? 
* People are filled with the knowledge of God’s will, displaying divine wisdom and understanding (v. 9).
* People are living lives that are pleasing to God, bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God (v. 10).
* People are experiencing God’s supernatural presence and strength in every season and every circumstance (v. 11).

We want this Epiphany season to be accompanied by deep gospel transformation and by stories of life change. 

info@gospelcc.org
__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: JESUS/EPIPHANY - Gospel Transformation
Text: Colossians 1:15-20, 9-13
Campus: College Hill

God gave us his gospel and the Church to be a vehicle for discipleship and transformation.
 
“...discipleship means being an apprentice of Jesus in our daily existence.”
“...a disciple is simply someone who has decided to be with another person…in order to learn to do what that person does, or to become what that person is.”
~Dallas Willard

Epiphany: comes from a Greek word which points to an act of revealing, unveiling, or appearing.

Jesus is God in the flesh; Sovereign leader over all creation and our enduring hope in life and death.

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through him and for him.
He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.
He is also the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
Colossians 1:15-20 (CSB)

1. Jesus is the visible expression of God (vv. 15, 19)
2. Jesus is the head of the Church (v. 18)
3. Jesus is God’s instrument of redemption and peace (vv. 19-20)

Our vision: life transformation through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We desire:
Personal transformation.
Corporate transformation.
Global transformation.

“For this reason, also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.”
Colossians 1:9-12 (CSB)

What does gospel transformation look like?
*People are filled with the knowledge of God’s will, displaying divine wisdom and understanding (v. 9).
*People are living lives that are pleasing to God, bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God (v. 10).
*People are experiencing God’s supernatural presence and strength in every season and every circumstance (v. 11).
We want this Epiphany season to be accompanied by deep gospel transformation and by stories of life change.
 
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be your name.
Your Kingdom come,
your will be done.
On earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
as we forgive the sins of others.
Lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the Kingdom,
and the glory, and the power.
Amen.

 
Sermon Notes: Preston Burling
Title: The Spirit’s Movement in Community
Text: Matthew 18:18-20
Campus: Rivermont

Disruption and Direction 
 
“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”
Matthew 18:18-20

Take notice of God’s discerning voice that rises in the midst of Godly community?

Graduated Responsibility: “To whom much is given, much is required”

We have the same responsibility that the disciples had to be keenly aware of how the Spirit of the living God is moving among us.

Take notice of God’s voice that rises in the midst of Godly community.

It’s not us that affects heaven, but it’s heaven that affects us, and in light of that, heaven’s effects must be discerned from the Father’s will.

In one sense: This text is about the sacred space cultivated when brothers and sisters in Christ enter into a deep, discerning, and prayerful space that seeks understanding and agreement on what God is doing in their midst.

Disruption is an interruption in our thought patterns and our safe emotional ruts. It causes an unplanned deviation from our expected daily, weekly, monthly or even yearly habits.

The routines of our life train our inner character, but routines can sometimes lead to unthinking ways and God’s Spirit wants to disrupt these unthinking ways in our lives.

Direction is God hovering over the chaos of our life and calling forth steps on a different course. It’s that timely help we need on the pathway forward.”

A Kairos moment is a disruption of time when the Kingdom of God comes near to us and elicits a response. It’s a disruptive moment that calls us to respond to God’s invitation.

We cannot fully discern God’s missional activity in our lives in isolation.

We need to recover the expectation that God is going to meet us in our active relationships with other believers.

Communal Sense of Direction > Individual Sense of Direction
Communion: What is the Spirit doing in me?
Community: What is the Spirit doing around me?
Co-Mission: What is the Spirit doing through me?
Next Step: What is our response?
REFLECT, RECORD & RESPOND

______________________________________________________________________
Sermon Notes: Austin Whiteheart
Title: True Rest
Text: Psalm 62
Campus: College Hill

What do I find rest and security in?

Our souls crave the true rest that only God can provide, but the world has endless, counterfeit alternatives which will never truly satisfy our soul.

True rest and security for our soul can only be found in God.

Psalm 62 shows us how to rest in God alone when we are tired, beaten down, and tempted to find rest in counterfeit alternatives.

“I am at rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will never be shaken. How long will you threaten a man? Will all of you attack as if he were a leaning wall or a tottering fence? They only plan to bring him down from his high position. They take pleasure in lying; they bless with their mouths, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken. My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock. My refuge is in God. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before him. God is our refuge. Selah.
Common people are only a vapor; important people, an illusion. Together on a scale, they weigh less than a vapor. Place no trust in oppression or false hope in robbery. If wealth increases, don’t set your heart on it. God has spoken once; I have heard this twice: strength belongs to God, and faithful love belongs to you, Lord. For you repay each according to his works.”
Psalm 62

“I am at rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will never be shaken. “
Psalm 62:1-2

Rest = confidence, security, and hope in God

“How long will you threaten a man? Will all of you attack as if he were a leaning wall or a tottering fence? They only plan to bring him down from his high position. They take pleasure in lying; they bless with their mouths, but they curse inwardly.”
Psalm 62:3-4

Are the sources where you found rest and security gone?

“Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken. “
Psalm 62:5-6

Take command of your thoughts

“My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock. My refuge is in God. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before him. God is our refuge.”
Psalm 62:7-8

“16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; 17 the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you… 26 the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.”
John 14:16-17, 26

He is the source of our strength. He is our refuge. Our salvation in Him and the Spirit working in us gives us power to command our thoughts.

Common people are only a vapor; important people, an illusion. Together on a scale, they weigh less than a vapor. Place no trust in oppression or false hope in robbery. If wealth increases, don’t set your heart on it.

Psalm 62:9-10

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes.”
James 4:13-14

“Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21

When we rest in God alone, we have an eternal security that no earthly means can provide.

Where am I finding my rest and security right now?

“God has spoken once; I have heard this twice:
strength belongs to God, and faithful love belongs to you, Lord. For you repay each according to his works.
Psalm 62:11-12

These truths are the fuel for our rest in God. God is strong enough to be our foundation, God is faithful in His love to us, and He is perfectly just in all He does.

Be rooted in Christ.

“The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God presented him as the mercy seat by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Romans 3:22-26

Only Christ is strong enough to save and sustain us. Only Christ has the perfect, faithful love needed to sacrifice Himself on the cross to save us. And only Christ is perfectly just to declare the guilty as innocent through His blood.
Am I rooted in Christ?

Am I currently finding rest and security in God alone?

If not, what false-securities am I trusting in?

What thoughts or actions do I need to take?

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Christ
Text: Luke 2:1-5, Matthew 2:1-6, 16-18.
Congregation: Rivermont & College Hill

Hope
Peace
Joy
Love

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empire should be registered. This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.
Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth.”
Luke 2:1-6

Bethlehem: Bet + Lechem = place of bread/provision

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.’
When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born.
‘In Bethlehem of Judea,’ they told him, ‘because this is what was written by the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Matthew 2:1-6

“Then Herod, when he realized that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men. Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”
Matthew 2:16-18


Click to see pictures: The Wall in Bethlehem (1)
The Wall in Bethlehem (2)
The Wall in Bethlehem (3)

“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’
In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ ‘For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.’”
1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Kid City Notes

View all Kid City lesson videos by clicking HERE. 

Lesson Overview
Bible Passage: Matthew 1:18-25
Story Point: God sent Jesus to us to save us from our sins because God loves us and wanted to save us from our sins!
Key Passage: Matthew 1:21 - She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

Younger Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Key Passage Activity
Supplies: Paper and pen or pencil
Write: out the verse, read it together pointing to the words if you kids are still learning to read. Then say the verse together normally and then in silly voices (robo voices, deep voices, let your child suggest some). Say the verse 3 or 4 times.
Say: Jesus was sent to earth to save us from our sins. God loved us enough to save us from our sins and give us eternal life.

Bible Story Questions

1. What did God do to show us that He loves us? (He sent His son Jesus to save us from our sins.)
2. Why did Joseph decide to marry Mary? (An angel visited him in a dream and told him to marry her and to name her baby Jesus.)
3. Besides coming to Earth as a baby, what did Jesus to do show us his love for God and for us? (He died on the cross so that those who believe in Him will have eternal life.)
4. How are you going to show love for other people during this Christmas season? (Share your toys, help with cleaning up, don’t fight are all good things to do. Ask your siblings or parents how you can show them love.)

Activity: Coloring
Supplies: Paper and coloring utensils
Draw a picture of something nice you can do to show love to others.
Say: I Jesus came to earth as a baby and then grew up and lived a perfect life before dying on the cross and then resurrecting. He told us to love one another. So, let’s honor Him and show each other love!

Older Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Key Passage Activity
Supplies: Paper and Pen
Write: out each word of the passage and then erase one word at a time.
Say: Paul encourages us in these verses to love others and be devoted to them. He tells us to stick to what is good and completely dislike what is evil and not good.

Bible Story Questions

1. What did God do to show us that He loves us? (He sent His son Jesus to save us from our sins.)
2. Why did Joseph decide to marry Mary? (An angel visited him in a dream and told him to marry her and to name her baby Jesus.)
3. What does Immanuel mean? (It means God with us. When Jesus left Heaven he was still 100% God and 100% man.)
4. Why do we celebrate Jesus coming down to earth? Why did he have to come down to earth? (John 3:16 says that God loved the world and so He sent us His only Son, to save us from our sins.)
5. Besides coming to Earth as a baby, what did Jesus to do show us his love for God and for us? (He died on the cross so that those who believe in Him will have eternal life.He took the punishment of our sin so we could be saved!)
6. How are you going to show love for other people during this Christmas season? (Share your toys, help with cleaning up, don’t fight are all good things to do. Ask your siblings or parents how you can show them love.)

Activity: The kindness game
Supplies: Paper, tape and writing utensils
If your kids are old enough - Everyone tape a piece of paper to their back, then have everyone go around the room and write something nice or something that they love about that person. At the end read the nice things that were written about you.
Say: Sometimes, love looks like saying nice things to one another. Jesus came to earth as a baby and then grew up and lived a perfect life before dying on the cross and then resurrecting. He told us to love one another. So, let’s honor Him and show each other love!
__________________________________________________________________

Gospel Student Ministry Notes
Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25
Advent Week 3: Love

Intro/Overview
This Sunday begins week 3 of the advent season. This season is marked by joyful and eager anticipation of Christ’s return. Not only do we, as His people, wait for His return, but we also celebrate His first coming over 2,000 years ago. Christ was born a baby, in the flesh, fully God and fully man. The incarnation of Christ has incredible implications for those that believe, it is foundational to our faith.

As we continue to celebrate Christ and the advent season, the theme for this week is love. Love is a unique and yet complex emotion. As human beings our love is often conditional and wavering, it fluctuates depending on our circumstances. Yet, God’s love is perfect, complete, and ultimate. And He demonstrated His incredible love for humanity by sending His perfect, righteous, and only Son to die for the sins of many.

In Matthew chapter 1 we find the story of Joseph and Mary. Joseph is set to wed Mary, however, he finds out that his fiancé, Mary, is already with child. Because Joseph is a loving and godly man, he decided to divorce Mary quietly so he would not shame her or her family. However, the Lord (via a dream) speaks to Joseph, and what he learns is that she isn’t just carrying any child, the child in her womb has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Joseph had to trust God and believe that promise that his bride-to-be was indeed carrying the Savior of the world. If Joseph didn’t love and trust God (and Mary), that would have made things really difficult. This gave Joseph a unique opportunity to love abs care Mary. In the same way God has shown His love for us. In fact, in an even more powerful and unique way.

We are all sinners that have turned from God. When reading through the Scriptures, we find that as God’s people we have rebelled against Him time and time again. But even when we are faithless, He is faithful and His love is steadfast and eternal. He has shown His love for humanity in the most glorious way, but sending Christ Jesus to save and redeem us.

Discussion Questions
Read Matthew 1:18-25
Reflect on these verses

These questions are meant to generate conversations with your students.

1. What is your definition of love? What are some ways that we can show love to others, and how has God shown His love for us? 
2. Considering the situation, it would have been really easy for Joseph to walk away. How was Joseph able to care for Mary through this situation? What was his motivation? 
3. The text in Matthew 1 tells us that this child (Jesus) would be a savior to his people. How has Christ saved us? What does that mean for those that believe? 

End your time together by praying as a family. Pray specifically for the things that you’ve discussed (and confessed), pray for each other, and pray for our world as we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 crisis and the racial and political tensions currently facing our nation.

Parents:

• Consider ways to leverage the time that you have with your students. How can you utilize this time to help them see Jesus/own the mission?
• In what ways can you love/serve your neighbors? How can you show Christ to your extended (and immediate) family during the holiday season? Think of some practical (and safe!) ways that you and your student(s) can be the hands and feet of Jesus at this time.

__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Love
Text: Matthew 1:18-25
Campus: Rivermont

In the incarnation of God in the person of Jesus, the love of God is revealed to us. In Christ, God is saying - I see you, I know you, and I love you.

“An account of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:”
Matthew 1:1

“ So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations; and from David until the exile to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the exile to Babylon until the Messiah, fourteen generations.”
Matthew 1:17.

“The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit. So her husband, Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly. But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’
Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated ‘God is with us.’
When Joseph woke up, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him. He married her but did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son. And he named him Jesus.”
Matthew 1:18-25

ABRAHAM, SARAI, AND HAGAR

“He said, ‘Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?’
She replied, ‘I’m running away from my mistress Sarai.’
The angel of the Lord said to her, ‘Go back to your mistress and submit to her authority.’ The angel of the Lord said to her, ‘I will greatly multiply your offspring, and they will be too many to count.’
The angel of the Lord said to her, ‘You have conceived and will have a son. You will name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your cry of affliction.’
So she named the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are El-roi,’ for she said, ‘In this place, have I actually seen the one who sees me?’”
Genesis 16:8-11, 13.

El-Roi

JUDAH AND TAMAR

RAHAB-RUTH

Our God is named El-Roi: God Who Sees Me. He knows us, the parts that no one else does. And still - he moves toward us in love.

Hesed

“For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. “
Hebrews 4:12

“No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.”
Hebrews 4:13

“God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8

When the gospel’s brand of love defines us, we are free.

“This is how we know what love is: that Christ laid his life down for us…”
1 John 3:16

“We should also lay our lives down for our brothers and sisters.”
1 John 3:16

“ Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:14-16
__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Love
Text: Matthew 1:18-25
Campus: College Hill

What are some of the greatest love stories that have ever been told?

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” –
John 3:16

“An account of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers, Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Aram, Aram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, Nahshon fathered Salmon, Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth, Obed fathered Jesse, and Jesse fathered King David, David fathered Solomon by Uriah’s wife
Matthew 1:1-6 (CSB)

Matthew helps us to see the congruency of the Old Testament and the New Testament.

hesed: usually translated as faithful, or steadfast, love.
Hesed always involves an interpersonal relationship.
Hesed is never merely an abstract feeling of goodwill but always entails practical action on behalf of another.
Hesed is enduring.

1) Abraham to David (vv. 2-6)
God never gave up on his promise to Abraham and he continued to further his Kingdom through his dysfunctional family.

2) David to exile (vv. 6-11)
“David fathered Solomon by Uriah’s wife,”
Matthew 1:6b

3) Exile to Christ (vv. 11-16)
“A pronouncement:
The word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.
‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord.”
Malachi 1:1-2a

“’For look, the day is coming, burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and everyone who commits wickedness will become stubble. The coming day will consume them,’ says the Lord of Armies, ‘not leaving them root or branches. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and playfully jump like calves from the stall. You will trample the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day I am preparing,’ says the Lord of Armies.”
Malachi 4:1-3

“The birth of Jesus Christ came about this way: After his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, it was discovered before they came together that she was pregnant from the Holy Spirit. So, her husband, Joseph, being a righteous man, and not wanting to disgrace her publicly, decided to divorce her secretly. But after he had considered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’
Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.’
When Joseph woke up, he did as the Lord’s angel had commanded him. He married her but did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son. And he named him Jesus.”
Matthew 1:18-25 (CSB)

Observations:
A humble and miraculous conception.
The fulfillment of promises.
Transformational love.
How do you need to respond to this love?
We are seen, fully known and fully loved by God.
_____________________________________________________________________

Kid City

Click here to watch our Kid City video that corresponds to this sermon guide. https://vimeo.com/showcase/7026436

Bible passage: Luke 1: 46-55 & Psalm 16:11
Story point: Mary had great joy because she was carrying Jesus, God’s Son!
Key passage: Psalm 16:11 - "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Younger Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Key Passage Activity
Supplies: Paper, pen/pencil
Write: the key passage, Psalm 16:11, on a piece of paper and have the kids repeat it after you. Then take a ball and pass it around and whoever has the ball must say the next word until the verse is complete.
Say: Being in the presence of God, brings us more joy than anything else can. We get tired of toys, our favorite food changes over time, but God’s love remains the same.

Bible Story Questions
Read Luke 1:46-55

1. What does Joy mean? What is something or someone that brings you joy? (Joy is a feeling of happiness. Something or someone that brings you joy is someone who makes you feel warm and good inside. Maybe your friends, your pets, a special toy you have, maybe looking at Christmas lights with your family or eating a yummy cake.)
2. What brought Mary joy? (She rejoiced in the Lord, she didn’t rejoice in what she would receive or in her circumstance. She recognized that God keeps His promises.)
3. What is the greatest gift of all time? (Jesus, His love and friendship is the best present anyone can ever receive! He brings joy that cannot compare to any pretty princess dress, a new playstation or the prettiest Christmas tree.)

Activity
Supplies: Paper, pencil, drawing utensils/crayons
Say: Draw a picture or write a list of things that bring you joy and how God has brought you joy.

Older Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Key Passage Activity
Supplies: Paper, pen/pencil
Write: the key passage, Psalm 16:11, on a piece of paper and have the kids repeat it after you. Then take a ball and pass it around and whoever has the ball must say the next word until the verse is complete.
Say: Being in the presence of God, brings us more joy than anything else can. We get tired of toys, our favorite food changes over time, but God’s love remains the same.

Bible Story Questions
Read Luke 1:46-55

1. What does Joy mean? What is something or someone that brings you joy? (Joy is a feeling of happiness. Something or someone that brings you joy is someone who makes you feel warm and good inside. Maybe your friends, your pets, a special toy you have, maybe looking at Christmas lights with your family or eating a yummy cake.)
2. What brought Mary joy? (She rejoiced in the Lord, she didn’t rejoice in what she would receive or in her circumstance. She recognized that God keeps His promises.)
3. What is the greatest gift of all time? (Jesus, His love and friendship is the best present anyone can ever receive! He brings joy that cannot compare to any pretty princess dress, a new playstation or the prettiest Christmas tree.)

Activity
Supplies: Pencils/paper, Drawing utensils, crayons
Say: Draw a picture or write a list of things that bring you joy and how God has brought you joy.
________________________
Gospel Student Ministry Notes
Scripture: Luke 1:46-55
Advent Week 3: Joy

Intro/Overview
The holiday season is filled with great excitement and celebration. We look forward to decorating our homes, spending time with our families and friends, having time off work/school, and of course giving and receiving gifts from our loved ones. This Christmas season is filled with joy. However, as followers of Christ, our joy isn’t limited to the holiday season, material possessions, or earthly circumstances. We have reason to rejoice always.

In Luke chapter 1, we find the story of Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth. Both women are expecting babies (Elizabeth would give birth to John the Baptist, and of course Mary would give birth to Jesus Christ, the Son of God), so they have reason to rejoice. Earlier in Luke chapter 1, Mary had been visited by an angel of the Lord. The angel told her that she had found favor with God, and that the Lord was with her. This angel even promised her that she would conceive a child and by the power of the Holy Spirit. And of course, this isn’t just any child, but this child would be the Son of God and the Savior of the world.

Of course, Mary decides to visit her cousin Elizabeth and share this wonderful and miraculous news. Elizabeth was aware of the Holy Spirit and the power of God being upon Mary. She knew of the Savior in Mary’s womb, in fact, the child Elizabeth was carrying leaped when Mary entered her home! Elizabeth then tells Mary that she is blessed because of this and blessed because she has believed the promises of God.

Following this encounter, Mary immediately gives praise to the Lord. She is overcome by His grace and His faithfulness to fulfill His promise. In verse 47, Mary says “my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” Mary has great joy in God because she has found favor with Him and He has been faithful to keep His promise. God has taken a lowly, ordinary, and humble young woman and allowed her to carry the Savior of the world. While this is certainly incredible, it is important that we don’t miss the application of this text.

Yes, Mary, an ordinary, humble young woman had found favor with God, but we too, as the people of God, those chosen by Him have also found favor with God. We too have reason to rejoice as lowly, ordinary, people. That God of all creation, the Maker of heaven and earth sent his only Son to live, die, and resurrect for our redemption. For those that believe in Christ Jesus, we are saved, we are forgiven, and we also have found favor with God. This is the reason that we rejoice at ALL times, not just during the holiday season. What we have in Christ is an eternal, unwavering, legitimate joy. This is different from what the world offers us, and different from what the world considers joy. It isn’t about presents, it is about the greatest gift in all of existence, Christ Jesus, the perfect Son of God.

Discussion Questions
Read Luke 1:46-55
Reflect on these verses

These questions are meant to generate conversations with your students.

1. The theme for the second week of advent is joy. How would you define the word joy?
2. What brings you the greatest amount of joy? It could be any number of things: gifts, video games, sports, school, relationships, etc. (make sure you are honest about this!). 
3. Mary (the mother of Jesus) is given the great responsibility of carrying and caring for the Messiah, the Savior of the world, Christ Jesus. As a young woman, she rejoices in this blessing greatly. How can we rejoice in God consistently?
4. During the Christmas/advent season, we celebrate with great joy. As believers, what is it that Jesus has done that allows us to rejoice so greatly? What has His life, death, and resurrection accomplished for us? 
5. How does joy in God/Christ differ from the joy that the world offers?

End your time together by praying as a family. Pray specifically for the things that you’ve discussed (and confessed), pray for each other, and pray for our world as we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 crisis and the racial and political tensions currently facing our nation. 

Parents:

• Consider ways to leverage the time that you have with your students. How can you utilize this time to help them see Jesus/own the mission?
• In what ways can you love/serve your neighbors? How can you show Christ to your extended (and immediate) family during the holiday season? Think of some practical (and safe!) ways that you and your student(s) can be the hands and feet of Jesus at this time.

________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Joy
Text: Luke 1:46-55
Campus: Rivermont

“Ultimate happiness is really just about enjoying life.” — Tony Hsieh

Deep and lasting joy cannot be bought, manipulated, or wished into existence.

Advent is a season on the church calendar which annually points us to the source of lasting joy and ultimate happiness.

Joy is found in humble obedience, in promises fulfilled, in the character of God, in the presence of God, and in the person of Jesus.

Joy is found in the shadow of our disappointments and broken dreams—and even in our doubts and confusion.

“And Mary said:
‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy.
His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him.
He has done a mighty deed with his arm;
he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts;
he has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors.’”
Luke 1:46-55 (CSB)

Gabriel's announcement to Mary was surprising and confusing.

“I am the Lord’s servant…May it be done to me according to your word.”
Luke 1:38

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!”
Luke 1:45

Mary chose faith over fear.

Joy can be found in the shadow of our disappointments and broken dreams; it can be found in the midst of pain and confusion because joy is found in Jesus, who is God WITH us.

Who did she understand God to be? Why is she praising Him?

1. Mary saw God as her Savior (v. 47)
2. God takes notice of the lowly and does great things in their lives (vv. 48-49)
3. God is both holy and merciful (vv. 49-50)
4. In Christ, God would display his might and power by reversing the world’s value system (vv. 51-53)

“He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors.”
Luke 1:54-55
5) God fulfills his promises (vv. 54-55)

When you experience something surprising or disappointing, are you still able to respond with joyful praise?

We will never be able to respond the way that Mary did if we don’t tether ourselves to Scripture–the written word; and to Jesus—the living Word.
________________________

Sermon Notes: Matt Bradner
Title: Joy
Text: Luke 1:46-55
Campus: College Hill

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!
And Mary said:
‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy.
His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him.
He has done a mighty deed with his arm;
he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts;
he has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors.’”
Luke 1:45-55

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you.
In his love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17
________________________

Gospel Student Ministry Notes
Scripture: Luke 1:67-79
Advent Week 2: Peace

Intro/Overview
This Sunday marks the second week of our advent season. Initially we talked about the meaning of advent, and wow this season is marked by our eager anticipation of Christ’s return. The theme for the first Sunday of advent is hope. As believers in Jesus Christ, we have a great hope and assurance, one that is steadfast and eternal. The hope that we have in Christ is unlike the hope we have in things of this world. With Christ, we don’t have to wonder or doubt, instead, our hope is certain and unwavering.

As we enter week 2 of our advent season, the theme for this week is peace. Peace should be a constant familiar reality for those in Christ. Yet, in a world full of sin, and death, chaos and trials, it is easy for us to become overwhelmed and lose our sense of peace. For believers, it is important that we understand the two-fold meaning of the word peace.

Luke chapter 1 sets the stage for the birth of Jesus and follows the story of the birth of John the Baptist. After the wife of Zechariah gives birth to a baby boy, it is evident to all the people that this baby is blessed/special. Zechariah, who was previously unable to talk, prophesies about this baby boy and says that he will clear the way for the coming of the Lord. Zechariah also informs his hearers that God has provided redemption and salvation for His people and has been incredibly merciful and compassionate to the nation of Israel. This great redemption and salvation of course is realized in and through Jesus. Finally at the end of chapter 1, Zechariah says that God will guide His people to the way of peace (verse 79).

The Bible says that (because of our sin) we were born as enemies of God, but because of Christ, we are now at peace with God (Romans 5:1). But what is this peace that comes from God? First of all, peace is no longer being at war with holy Creator God. We are no longer His enemies, but now we are His children. What a glorious reality! Second, peace (biblically speaking) is a sense of assurance, rest, and serenity (spiritually speaking). Because of the finished work of Christ and the redemption He has assured for those who believe, we can live each day with a great sense of peace as we eagerly await eternity with our King.
For believers, we know that Christ holds us fast and keeps us secure. It is the Lord that preserves us. This should be a great comfort to every believer; a reality that we celebrate and embrace daily, not simply during the advent season.

Discussion Questions
Read Luke 1:67-79
Reflect on these verses

These questions are meant to generate conversations with your students.

1. The theme for the second week of advent is peace. How would you define the word peace?
2. The world is such a busy and chaotic place, so much so that we often become incredibly stressed and overwhelmed. What brings you peace in your moments of anxiety?
3. Through Christ Jesus we have incredible peace. Peace, in a biblical context, has two meanings. What is the two-fold meaning of God’s peace?
4. How does God’s peace differ from the world’s peace?

End your time together by praying as a family. Pray specifically for the things that you’ve discussed (and confessed), pray for each other, and pray for our world as we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 crisis and the racial and political tensions currently facing our nation.

Parents:

• Consider ways to leverage the time that you have with your students. How can you utilize this time to help them see Jesus/own the mission?
• In what ways can you love/serve your neighbors? How can you show Christ to your extended (and immediate) family during the holiday season? Think of some practical (and safe!) ways that you and your student(s) can be the hands and feet of Jesus at this time.

_____________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Text: Luke 1:67-79 (CSB)
Title: Peace
Congregation: Rivermont

“Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and provided redemption for his people.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,  just as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets in ancient times;
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of those who hate us.
He has dealt mercifully with our ancestors and remembered his holy covenant—the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant that we, having been rescued from the hand of our enemies, would serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness in his presence all our days.
And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.
Because of our God’s merciful compassion, the dawn from on high will visit us to shine on those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.“
Luke 1:67-79

Click Here to see the Image: Kellogg-Briand Pact

שָׁלוֹם‎ - “shalom‎”, peace

In what ways do I need peace?

Where do I tend to go to find a sense of peace?

“Zechariah said to the angel, “Do you expect me to believe this? I’m an old man and my wife is an old woman.”
Luke 1:18

How might Jesus be inviting us into a quiet, still, and unhurried pace of life?

Being with God in silence and stillness transforms our hearts from doubting to delighting.

“Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and provided redemption for his people.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,  just as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets in ancient times;“
Luke 1:67-70

“Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and provided redemption for his people.”
“Because of our God’s merciful compassion, the dawn from on high will visit us to shine on those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Luke 1:68, 78-79

“Afterward he was on his way to a town called Nain. His disciples and a large crowd were traveling with him. Just as he neared the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the town was also with her. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said, ‘Don’t weep.’ Then he came up and touched the open coffin, and the pallbearers stopped. And he said, ‘Young man, I tell you, get up!’
The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Then fear came over everyone, and they glorified God, saying, ‘A great prophet has risen among us,’ and ‘God has visited his people.”
Luke 7:11-16

“to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.’”
Luke 1:77

Christ himself is our peace (Eph. 2:14)

Repentance is the practice of the peaceful.

In what ways do I need peace? Where do I tend to go to find a sense of peace?
_______________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: Peace
Text: Luke 1:67-79
Campus: College Hill

Advent helps us to slow down and to focus on something lasting, eternal, and true.

Advent holds pain and promise in tension.

Peace is found in the tension of the already, and not yet; it’s found in the fulfillment of God’s promises and in our anticipation of our eternal reality.

“Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and provided redemption for his people.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, just as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets in ancient times; salvation from our enemies and from the hand of those who hate us.
He has dealt mercifully with our ancestors and remembered his holy covenant—the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant that we, having been rescued from the hand of our enemies, would serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness in his presence all our days.
And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.
Because of our God’s merciful compassion, the dawn from on high will visit us to shine  on those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.“
Luke 1:67-79 (CSB)

The Story of God: Creation. Fall. Redemption. Restoration.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters…God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed.”
Genesis 1:1-2, 31a

Shalom (peace, wholeness) was shattered in Genesis chapter three.

God’s justice is not absent of grace.

“Go from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis  12:1-3

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.”
Deuteronomy  18:15

Partial obedience is disobedience.

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; a light has dawned on those living in the land of darkness.”
Isaiah 9:2

Three Overarching Reasons for Praise (Luke 1:67-79):
1) God has not forgotten his people (vv. 68-69)
2) God rescues and heals his people (vv. 69-71)
3) God has fulfilled, and is fulfilling, his promises to his people (vv. 69-73)

Salvation is healing.

The purpose of God’s salvation is not simply to make our lives temporarily better—or to keep us out of hell—but for us to serve him in holiness (Luke 1:74-75)

Healing and peace is found when we tether ourselves to Jesus.
 
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!”
Ephesians  2:4-5 (CSB)

We can welcome peace (Christ) through:
1) Repentance and
2) Praise
_______________________________________

KidsCity

Click here to watch our Kid City video that corresponds to this sermon guide. https://vimeo.com/showcase/7026436

Bible passage: Luke 2:25-32
Story point: HOPE - We can have hope in Jesus Christ as our Savior.
Key passage: Luke 2:26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Younger Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Key Passage Activity
Supplies: Paper, pen/pencil
Write: the key passage, Luke 2:26, on a piece of paper and have the kids repeat it after you. Erase or cross out one word at a time until the verse is memorized.
Say: Simeon had been promised by God through the Holy Spirit that he would live to see Jesus. Throughout his life he was patient, did what was right, and held on to hope, knowing God would keep His promise. In the next verses we will see that God was true to His promise, and Simeon met Jesus.

Bible Story Questions
Read Luke 2:25 - 32 and listen to Mr. Brandon’s lesson

1. Who was Simeon? (He was an Israelite who lived a righteous life. God has promised him that he would meet Jesus.)
2. Do you think that Simeon waited for a short or a long time? (The Bible doesn’t tell us how old Simeon was, and it doesn’t tell us how long he waited, but we know that he waited and did not give up. He trusted in God and in God’s promises.)
3. What is something that we Christians hope for? (Our hope is in Jesus Christ. It is knowing that he lived, died, and rose again and that one day, we Christians will be in heaven with him.

Activity: Hope Potato (Hot Potato)
Supplies: A ball, or potato, or anything to pass around in a circle.
Pass around the item chosen, and play some Christmas music, whoever ends up with the item at the end, say something that gives you hope.
Ex. The hope you have in Jesus as our savior, hope in a wonderful Christmas season because we love each other.
Say: Simeon waited years for Jesus, we are so blessed to have been born in a time where we don’t have to wait for Him, He has already come! Go throughout this week remembering the great hope we have in Jesus.

Older Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Key Passage Activity
Supplies: Paper, pen/pencil
Write: the key passage, Luke 2:26, on a piece of paper and have the kids repeat it after you. Erase or cross out one word at a time until the verse is memorized.
Say: Simeon had been promised by God through the Holy Spirit that he would live to see Jesus. Throughout his life he was patient, did what was right, and held on to hope, knowing God would keep His promise. In the next verses we will see that God was true to His promise, and Simeon met Jesus.

Bible Story Questions
Read Luke 2:25 - 32 and listen to Mr. Brandon’s lesson

1. Who was Simeon? (He was an Israelite who lived a righteous life. God has promised him that he would meet Jesus.)
2. Do you think that Simeon waited for a short or a long time? (The Bible doesn’t tell us how old Simeon was, and it doesn’t tell us how long he waited, but we know that he waited and did not give up. He trusted in God and in God’s promises.)
3. What is something that we Christians hope for? (Our hope is in Jesus Christ. It is knowing that he lived, died, and rose again and that one day, we Christians will be in heaven with him.)

Activity: Hope Potato (Hot Potato)
Supplies: A ball, or potato, or anything to pass around in a circle.
Pass around the item chosen, and play some Christmas music, whoever ends up with the item at the end, say something that gives you hope.
Ex. The hope you have in Jesus as our savior, hope in a wonderful Christmas season because we love each other.
Say: Simeon waited years for Jesus, we are so blessed to have been born in a time where we don’t have to wait for Him, He has already come! Go throughout this week remembering the great hope we have in Jesus!
____
Gospel Student Ministry Notes
Scripture: Luke 2:25-32
Advent Week 1: Hope

Intro/Overview
Well, it's official, the holiday season is upon us. This is such a wonderful (and busy) time of year. We are all so excited to decorate our homes, make plans with friends and family, take time away from work, shop for loved ones, etc. There is so much to be done and so much to look forward to at this time of year. But as believers in Jesus Christ, we have a hope that transcends any holiday; we anticipate something so much greater than any present can offer us.

This week marks the beginning of the Advent season. The word Advent means “coming” or “arrival.” For Christians, the advent season marks the birth of Christ (His first coming) but during this season we also eagerly await the second coming of Jesus. This first Sunday of Advent means hope. Hope is really synonymous with the Christian faith. As sinful human beings that are destined for death and destruction, we are utterly hopeless apart from Christ Jesus. However, He has given us reason to believe and to hope.

In Luke chapter 2, we find the birth of Jesus Christ recorded. The nation of Israel, God’s chosen people, had been waiting for this promised Messiah. God sent His prophets and given the people His written word and foretold of the Savior to come. He had promised them deliverance and salvation through His chosen One. Thankfully, God is a God that keeps His promises!! So here in Luke chapter 2, we find a man named Simeon who had been told by God that he would not die before seeing the Savior. So, upon hearing of Jesus’ birth and seeing Him in the temple, Simeon knew that God had again stayed true to His word. Simeon takes the child Jesus in his arms and blesses Him, knowing that He is fulfillment of God’s promises and the hope of His people.

There are a lot of things that we can place our hope in. Some of us hope in money, for some of us it is our family/friends, for others we hope in our performance or the way that others view us. If we consider Christmas time, a lot of us are hoping for what we will receive on Christmas morning. But as those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, our hope is ultimately in Him. This hope isn’t simply tied to a certain time of year, or any of our earthly circumstances, we are hopeful and assured of what Christ has accomplished for us through His life, death, and resurrection. And as His people, we eagerly await His second coming, when His glory is revealed to all of creation. He is our Hope.

Discussion Questions
Read Luke 2:25-32
Reflect on these verses

These questions are meant to generate conversations with your students.

1. This Sunday marks the beginning of the advent season. The word advent means “coming” or “arrival.” As Christians, what are we anticipating or waiting for during the advent season?
2. The theme for this first Sunday is hope. What are some things that you hope for consistently? Are these things that line up with the will and word of God?
3. As Christians, our hope is in Christ Jesus. How is hoping in Him different from hoping in the things of the world?
4. How can you live out this hope consistently? Are there some people in your life that you can share this hope with?

End your time together by praying as a family. Pray specifically for the things that you’ve discussed (and confessed), pray for each other, and pray for our world as we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 crisis and the racial and political tensions currently facing our nation.

Parents:

• Consider ways to leverage the time that you have with your students. How can you utilize this time to help them see Jesus/own the mission?
• In what ways can you love/serve your neighbors? How can you show Christ to your extended (and immediate) family during the holiday season? Think of some practical (and safe!) ways that you and your student(s) can be the hands and feet of Jesus at this time.

_____
Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Hope: The Spirit of Advent
Text: Luke 2:25-35
Campus: Rivermont

Image 1 - Click Here
Image 2: Light and Dark - Click Here
Image 3: God and Humanity - Click Here
Image 4: Slavery in Egypt - Click Here

How long, O God?

Image 5: Sinai_Epiphany - Click Here

How long, O God?

Image 6: Exile - Click Here

How long, O Lord?

“How long, Lord?
Will you forget us forever?
How long will you hide your face from us?
How long will we store up anxious concerns within us, agony in our minds every day?
How long will our enemies dominate us?
Consider us and answer, Lord our God. Restore brightness to our eyes; otherwise we will sleep in death. Our enemies are saying, “We have triumphed over them,” and our foes are rejoicing because we are trembling.
But we have trusted in your faithful love; our hearts will rejoice in your deliverance in the past. We will sing to the Lord because you have treated us generously. So, we will wait on you.”
Psalm 13

“There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him what was customary under the law, “
Luke 2:25-27

“Simeon took him up in his arms, praised God, and said,
Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace,
as you promised.
For my eyes have seen your salvation.
You have prepared it
in the presence of all peoples—
a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and glory to your people Israel.”
Luke 2:28-32

“Then Simeon blessed them and told his mother Mary, ‘Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed—and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts[d] of many hearts may be revealed.’”
Luke 2:34-35

Where are you?
Who told you?
What have you done?

Where are you? Am I dislocated from God, in some way estranged from him?
Who told you? What voices other than God’s have I been listening to?
What have you done? What have we done with Jesus? God in the flesh? Who is he to me? Is it time to stop admiring (or rejecting) him from afar?

The story of Advent means - Jesus has come close to us. Will we not also come near to him?

The spirit of Advent: Waiting in Hope

The people of God in waiting, are to be fervent in prayer, filled with the Holy Spirit, and marked by hope. Because prayer is the practice of the hopeful.
_____
Sermon Notes: Preston Burling
Title: Advent: Hope in Christ
Text: Luke 2:25-32
Campus: College Hill

Image: The Seasons - Click Here

This calendar becomes a powerful tool for discipleship. A tool that is going to help us both Remember and Retell the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, looking forward to Israel’s consolation, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him up in his arms, praised God, and said, ‘Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised.  For my eyes have seen your salvation. You have prepared it in the presence of all peoples — a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory to your people Israel.’”
Luke 2:25-32

This morning, what are you placing your hope in?

We often tend to place hopes in things that offer us safety and security

Hope bridges the gap between where you are now and where you will experience peace.

We need hope in Christ now in a way that will sustain us beyond the Christmas season.

What if our seasons here on earth become moments that propel us into a deeper, more grounded, and relentless hope in a future Kingdom?

1. That Jesus’ has come, God incarnate, to call his people into a new Kingdom.

1. That Jesus’ has come, God incarnate, to call his people into a new Kingdom.
2. A triumphal coming of our king is coming, once and for all, to redeem his saints for all-time.

1. Simeon is a common Jewish man without an extraordinary story
2. Simeon, an un-extraordinary man by worldly terms, was meant to represent common Israel in their hope that awaited the coming of the extraordinary - the Messiah.
3. Comfort endures when our hope is realized
4. The anticipation of our hope is complete in the person of Jesus

“It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, he entered the temple. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him up in his arms, praised God, and said, ‘Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace, as you promised.’”
Luke 2:26-29

5. Simeon’s hope was complete yet anticipatory of the future Salvation of God’s people

What kind of work do we need to let the Spirit do in our hearts in order to allow our material hopes to be properly submitted to our ultimate hope in Christ?

May the Spirit drive us to a comforting hope in the object of our faith - Jesus Christ.
____

Gospel Student Ministry Notes
Scripture: 1 Peter 5:7-14
Peter’s Final Encouragement: Firm in the Faith

Intro/Overview
So, as we have studied through the first letter of the Apostle Peter, we have found him writing to believers in exile and consistently instructing them and encouraging them to live with great faith and to lead lives of humility, hope, and holiness. Peter has done an excellent job of continuously preaching the Gospel and pointing us towards Jesus. Peter has not only encouraged the body of Christ, but he has spent time instructing and exhorting the elders and leaders within the body of Christ as well. The purpose of this letter is to remind us of our purpose and our responsibility to live holy and set apart from the world; to demonstrate the supremacy and majesty of Christ by the way that we live. As Peter ends this letter, he exhorts these believers to lean and depend on God, and to flee from temptation.

In chapter 5, verse 7, Peter says that we can cast all of our anxieties on him [Christ]. Now this would imply that anxiety and fear are consistent with the human experience, in other words it is to be expected. However, as the people of God, we have our own anxieties and fears associated with following Christ. If you recall, this letter is being written to exiles, and they more than likely faced a lot of hostility and persecution. This undoubtedly leads to anxiety, hesitation and fear. But Peter reminds his readers to cast all of their burdens and concerns upon Him [Christ Jesus], why? Because He cares for His people. What a great comfort to know that we have such a loving and caring heavenly Father (and He demonstrates that love/care in the most incredible way, the cross).

Peter then warns his readers, as he reminds them of the great adversary they face in Satan. He says be “sober-minded (v. 8),” the devil is on the prowl like a lion searching for those that he can devour. That is a constant reality, one we must never neglect or overlook. Satan seeks to sift us like wheat (Luke 22:31). But Peter encourages believers to resist the devil and stand firm in the faith. It is only through faith in Christ that we are delivered and victorious. It is not based upon our own strength and ability, but succeeding in fleeing temptation is only by the gift of grace and power of the Spirit.

Finally Peter tells us that this is suffering, and that this is the life of every believer. In verse 9 he says that suffering is the experience for Chrisitians throughout the world. In other words, we can expect suffering and tribulation if we are going to live for Jesus. However, we are compelled to live for Him because of the glory that awaits us. In verse 10 Peter says that it is God who will restore, confirm, and strengthen us. This is a great reminder of that God that we serve and belong to. As those living in “exile,” even in the year 2020, we will be tempted and we will face trials. As His people, we must be totally dependent upon God at every moment in order to stand firm in our faith.

Discussion Questions
Read 1 Peter 5:7-14
Reflect on these verses

These questions are meant to generate conversations with your students.

1. The letter of 1 Peter has been full of some wonderful instruction and encouragement. What are some of the major themes that you have taken away from 1 Peter?
2. In verse 7, Peter tells believers to cast all of their anxieties on God. What are some things that make you anxious? Have you taken these burdens and fears to God?
3. We are told to be sober-minded and alert, constantly aware of Satan who is on the prowl looking for someone to devour. In what ways have you felt tempted? And how can we be successful in resisting temptation?
4. Suffering is to be expected for the life of the believer. In what ways are Christians suffering around the world? Have you experienced suffering in any way because of your faith?
5. What is it that motivates us to endure suffering (look at verse 10)?

End your time together by praying as a family. Pray specifically for the things that you’ve discussed (and confessed), pray for each other, and pray for our world as we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 crisis and the racial and political tensions currently facing our nation.

Parents

• Consider ways to leverage the time that you have with your students. How can you utilize this time to help them see Jesus/own the mission?
• In what ways can you love/serve your neighbors? Think of some practical (and safe!) ways that you and your student(s) can be the hands and feet of Jesus at this time.

__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Peaceful, Non-Anxious Presence
Text: 1 Peter 5:6-14 (CSB)
Campus: Rivermont

Faithfulness to Jesus in exile means being a peaceful, non-anxious presence in highly anxious spaces.

“ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time,”
1 Peter 5:6.

1. Be humble.

Proximity to Jesus breeds humility and a peace, or contentment, with who we are. So we’re relieved of the stress and anxiety of needing to prove or defend ourselves.

“casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.”
1 Peter 5:7

2. Cast your anxieties on God.

Followers of Jesus are set apart in that our peaceful non-anxious presence is found in the person of Jesus.

3. Slow down & pay attention.

4. Resist and stand firm by practicing faith.

“Resist him, firm in the faith”
1 Peter 5:9a.

In the practice of humbling myself instead of defending myself God meets me and he transforms me. He is my peace; he is my relief from anxiety.

“knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.”
1 Peter 5:9b.

Suffering is the way our bodies, hearts, minds, and souls remember pain.

5. Remember the Gospel in the midst of suffering.

“The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.  To him be dominion forever. Amen.”
1 Peter 5:10-11.

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
1 Peter 5:4

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus is not just forgiving our sins, but freeing us from our sin and its effects.

“Through Silvanus, a faithful brother (as I consider him), I have written to you briefly in order to encourage you and to testify that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, as does Mark, my son. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ.”
1 Peter 5:12-14.

The peace of Christ is tethered to being in loving fellowship with other followers of Jesus.
__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Text: 1 Peter 5:6-14 (CSB)
Campus: College Hill

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you. Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.  To him be dominion forever.  Amen. Through Silvanus, a faithful brother (as I consider him), I have written to you briefly in order to encourage you and to testify that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it! She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, as does Mark, my son. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ."
1 Peter 5:6-14 (CSB)

Peter is giving Christian exiles tools to endure, and overcome, the various challenges to our faith.

1) Warning: recognize and resist the enemy (vv. 8-9a)
2) Encouragement: continually rest in the sufficiency of God’s grace (vv. 10-11)
3) Observation: in order to endure, we must press into, healthy, gospel-centered community with other imperfect Christians (vv. 9b, 12-14)

1) Warning: recognize and resist the enemy (vv. 8-9a)

“Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith,”
1 Peter 5:8-9a

How does the Bible describe the enemy?
He is a cunning deceiver (2 Cor. 11:3)
He is the “father of all lies” (John 8:44)
He is the slanderer (Rev. 13:6)
He is the tempter (Matt. 4:3)
He is the destroyer (Rev. 9:11)
He is a thief who comes to kill and destroy (John 10:10)
He is a murderer (John 8:44)
He is the “evil one” (Matt. 13:19)
He is the “accuser of the brothers” (Rev. 12:10)
He is the ruler of the darkness (Eph. 6:12)
He blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Cor. 4:4);
He is the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4)
He is lawless (2 Thess. 2:8-9)
He masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14)
He is clever (2 Cor. 2:11)
He is a roaring lion looking for anyone he can devour (1 Pet. 5:8).

When we humbly continue to trust God, believing that he truly cares for us, we silence the lies of the evil one.
When we faithfully practice the teachings of Jesus, and live out the way of Jesus, there’s no room for the enemy to sink his teeth into us.

2) Encouragement: continually rest in the sufficiency of God’s grace (vv. 10-11); grace which is evident in God’s calling, presence and promises.

“The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while. To him be dominion forever. Amen.”
1 Peter 5:10-11

The one who called us by his grace will also enable us, by his grace, to persevere until the end.
We rest in the sufficiency of God’s grace because God is not absent from our trouble, he’s powerful over all of creation, and he will see us through.

3) Observation: in order to endure, we must press into, healthy, gospel-centered community with other imperfect Christians (vv. 9b, 12-14)

One of the ways that the true grace of God is manifest in our lives is through the imperfect Christians around us.

Consider:
-How might I need to expose, and call out, the work of the enemy?
-Where do I need to apply God’s grace to myself and others?
-Am I pressing into gospel-centered community?
__________________________________________________________________

Kid City Notes

View all Kid City lesson videos by clicking HERE.

Lesson Overview:
Bible Passage: 1 Peter 5:5-7
Story Point: We need to act with humility and obey those that are in positions of authority over us.
Key Passage: 1 Peter 5:5b Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Younger Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Key Passage Activity
Supplies: Paper and pencil
Practice saying the verse a few times to start. Then take turns writing the verse with each person only writing one word of the verse at a time. Move the paper in a circle to complete the verse as a family.
Say: We need to wrap ourselves in humility so that we can better follow Jesus’ example.

Bible Story Questions:

1. What does being “humble” mean? (Mr. Brandon explains being humble as not seeing yourself as better.)
2. How can we act humbly? (We can act humbly by obeying our parents, sharing with our brothers and sisters. When we put the needs of others above our own, we are acting humbly.)
3. Our verse talks about clothing or wrapping ourselves with humility, how can we do that? (Wrapping ourselves in humility is making it a part of everything that we do. Thinking of others and their needs, and listening is a great way to be humble.)
4. Who is the greatest example of humility? Why, what are some things He did? (Jesus. Remind the kids that He came to Earth, left the perfection of Heaven, to become a man, in order to glorify God by living a perfect life and then dying on the cross to save us.)
5. Talk about some different ways you can show humility this week.

Activity: Simon Says
Supplies: Space
Say: Listening is super important when it comes to playing Simon Says and when it comes to humility. If we are carefully listening we can obey better and can hear what others need. Listening carefully shows others that we care about them, and that is a humble thing to do.

Older Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Key Passage Activity
Supplies: Paper and pencil
Practice saying the verse a few times to start. Then take turns writing the verse with each person only writing one word of the verse at a time. Move the paper in a circle to complete the verse as a family.
Say: We had to work together to write this verse as a family. Our key verse tells us that everyone who is led by the Spirit of God becomes God’s children. God loves when his children work together to bring Him praise.

Bible Story Questions

1. What does being “humble” mean? (Mr. Brandon explains being humble as not seeing yourself as better.)
2. How can we act humbly? (We can act humbly by obeying our parents, sharing with our brothers and sisters. When we put the needs of others above our own, we are acting humbly.)
3. Our verse talks about clothing or wrapping ourselves with humility, how can we do that? (Wrapping ourselves in humility is making it a part of everything that we do. Thinking of others and their needs, and listening is a great way to be humble.)
4. Who is the greatest example of humility? Why, what are some things He did? (Jesus. Remind the kids that He came to Earth, left the perfection of Heaven, to become a man, in order to glorify God by living a perfect life and then dying on the cross to save us.)
5. Talk about some different ways you can show humility this week.

Activity: Simon Says
Supplies: Space
Say: Listening is super important when it comes to playing Simon Says and when it comes to humility. If we are carefully listening, we can obey better and can hear what others need. Listening carefully shows others that we care about them, and that is a humble thing to do
__________________________________________________________________

Gospel Student Ministry
Scripture: 1 Peter 5:5-9
Christian, Clothe Yourself in Humility

Intro/Overview
Honestly, humility does not come easily. There is just something about human beings, something in our DNA that makes humbling ourselves incredibly difficult at times. It feels counterintuitive, it goes against our very nature, and quite frankly, we just don’t like it. But as the people of God, He clearly calls for humility to be one of our attributes; a prominent characteristic for followers of Christ. Here is 1 Peter 5, Peter reminds those believers in exile to live with great humility.

He begins by telling the younger men to subject themselves to the leadership of the elders within the church (verse 5). This is really a call to submit to authority. Again, this doesn’t come easily or naturally to us as sinful and rebellious human beings. But God has called and established the elders/leaders in the church for a reason. And just as we submit to God and His authority, as the body of Christ and His people we must subject ourselves to the appropriate authorities that are in place over us. This will not happen apart from the work of the Holy Spirit and an incredible amount of humility.

This is why Peter says, to “clothe yourselves with humility.” As Christians, humility should be central to who we are. If we look to Christ Jesus and the example He set for us, we can’t help but be moved by His incredible display of humility. Here, Peter says that we should clothe ourselves in humility. This means that all that we are and do should exemplify a humble disposition. Think about wrapping yourself in a robe, a gown, or towel. That garment covers you and really engulfs you. If we think of humility in this way, it really begins to infiltrate every area of our lives.

Peter also reminds believers why it is so important to consistently demonstrate humility. He says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Here, he paraphrases part of Proverbs 3:34 by saying God gives grace to the humble. Let’s focus on the first half of that statement, “God opposes the proud.” This should really stop us in our tracks and make us stand up and pay attention. The reason humility is so important, is because God is in opposition to those that are proud; He is against those that lack humility. In our flesh, apart from Christ and His redeeming work, this is who we all are, opponents of God. If you ever wonder whether or not you are in fellowship with Creator God and whether or not you have been regenerated, truly consider your heart and the level of humility you do or do not consistently display. God may oppose the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. This is glorious news! God has shown His amazing grace in the most evident and powerful way, by sending Christ Jesus to pay for the sins of wicked and rebellious people. That should be enough to humble the proudest individual.

Peter ends this section by telling us that most importantly, we must humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. As the great Creator, and our redeemer, we should be humble before Him. Apart from His saving grace and mercy, we are doomed, destined for death and destruction as objects of His wrath. But in His great love for us, He put forth Christ as a substitute for our sins to secure eternal life and forgiveness all for His glory and our good. Furthermore, Peter says that those that are humbled, God will exalt at the proper time. This a Kingdom principle, that Christ Himself taught His disciples (see Luke 14:7-11).

Discussion Questions
Read 1 Peter 5:5-9
Reflect on these verses

These questions are meant to generate conversations with your students.

1. Peter says there must be submission. As members of the church we are to subject ourselves to the leadership and authority of elders. Why is submitting to authority so difficult? Do you have a hard time with authority? Maybe certain people?
2. We are told to clothe ourselves in humility. How would you define the word humility and where have you seen it in action? What does it mean to clothe ourselves in humility and why is this so important for the life of the believer?
3. Verse 5 says that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Why would God be in opposition to the proud? And does it mean for God to give/show us grace?
4. For those that do humble themselves before God, He will exalt them at the appropriate time. Does the Bible tell us anything about God’s plan to exalt believers? If so, what do we know about this? How does He plan to exalt those who belong to Him?

End your time together by praying as a family. Pray specifically for the things that you’ve discussed (and confessed), pray for each other, and pray for our world as we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 crisis and the racial and political tensions currently facing our nation.

Parents:

• Consider ways to leverage the time that you have with your students. How can you utilize this time to help them see Jesus/own the mission?
• In what ways can you love/serve your neighbors? Think of some practical (and safe!) ways that you and your student(s) can be the hands and feet of Jesus at this time.

__________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Preston Burling
Title: Faith in Exile
Text: 1 Peter 5:5-7
Campus: Rivermont

Three Imperatives:

1. Be subject to the elders
2. Clothe yourselves in humility
3. Humble yourselves

Humility is not thinking less of yourself. Rather, in light of God, thinking more significantly of those around you, in order that you are so captivated and motivated to love and care for those around you.

“In the same way, you who are younger; be subject to the elders. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another.”
1 Peter 5:5a (CSB)

1. Humility is the clothing that identifies us.
Your attitude, your language, your demeanor, and the very presence that is carried with you are seasoned with that of an eager servanthood.
Humility is found in the shadow that follows God’s presence.

“God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5b (CSB)

1. Humility is the clothing that identifies us.
2. Humility is not something we do; it is an emptiness to be pursued in order to be full of grace.
3. Humility is about being more, by emptying yourself—to become a fountain of God’s overflowing grace to the world around you.

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time.”
1 Peter 5:6 (CSB)

1. Humility is the clothing that identifies us.
2. Humility is not something we do; it is an emptiness to be pursued in order to be full of grace.
3. Humility trusts in God’s sovereign power over outcomes.

Humility doesn’t seek another’s affirmation, sacrificing exultation from Christ.
-Rather-
It willingly submits to one another—not considering their affirmation—while waiting upon God’s exultation.

“Casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.”
1 Peter 5:7 (CSB)

1. Humility is the clothing that identifies us.
2. Humility is not something we do; it is an emptiness to be pursued in order to be full of grace.
3. Humility trusts in God’s sovereign power over outcomes.
4. Humility demonstrates trust by casting our anxieties on the Lord.

Identify the sources of pride that are keeping you from pressing into this glorious virtue of humility.
-Then-
Empty yourself and set up boundaries that will help you be firmly saturated in the fullness of God’s grace.
_______________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Text: 1 Peter 5:5-7
Campus: College Hill

“I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and witness to the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory about to be revealed: Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed for money but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud
but gives grace to the humble.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.”
Read 1 Pet. 5:1-7 (CSB).

Godly Elders: shepherd God’s church willingly, serve eagerly, and are an example to the church.

Elders are to live in such a way that everyone around them knows the chief Shepherd (Jesus) and knows that He’s coming back (v. 4).

“I, _________, understand my role as a ___Lead/Local_____ Elder and the responsibilities that are assigned to me by Christ and my fellow elders. Without any hesitation, I commit to fulfilling my role to the best of my ability. I submit myself to Christ and to my fellow elders. I will cheerfully follow Christ, love my family, and serve my church. I will faithfully pursue humility and seek to lead in a way that glorifies Christ and benefits His church. I will not abuse my authority or neglect my responsibilities. If at any point – I am no longer capable, or my fellow elders feel that I am incapable of fulfilling my responsibilities – I will step down graciously, discreetly, and un-contentiously.”

Humility is a reflection of God’s presence in our lives; it helps us to rightly engage with each other and to deal with our burdens in a Christ-like manner.

Those who are in positions of spiritual authority are stewards of that authority and their authority is meant to magnify Christ.

Those who are in a position of submission shouldn’t resist godly spiritual authority.

“All you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another…”
1 Peter 5:5b

Humility is the clothing that helps to identify every Christian.

Humility prioritizes God, and the needs of others, above self.

“God resists…”
1 Peter 5:5c

Pride is putting self above God and others.
God lavishly bestows his favor on those who acknowledge their need for him.

“ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.”
1 Peter 5:6-7

When our cares are many, and our burdens are heavy, our response should be one of humble trust.

Humble ourselves BY casting our cares on the Lord.

Incessant worry exposes where we’re failing to trust God.

Followers of Jesus humble themselves by casting their cares and anxieties on the Lord.

God invites us to fear him, but not as a way to manipulate us but to liberate us.

Three spiritual practices for anxious souls:

1. Fasting (from news media/social media)
2. Feasting (on the Lord)
3. Serving (look for opportunities at home, church, community)

___________________________________________________________________

Kids City

Click here to watch our Kid City video that corresponds to this sermon guide. https://vimeo.com/showcase/7026436

Bible passage: 1 Peter 5:1-4
Story point: Prepare and have the right tool for the battle against sin
Key passage: 1 Peter 5:2 "Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve."

Younger Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Key Passage Activity
Supplies: Paper, pen/pencil
Write:  the key passage, 1 Peter 5:2, on a piece of paper to read with the kids. Then cut or rip the paper to separate the words. Have the kids put the passage in order and hold a thumbs up when they’re done. Time the kids and challenge them to beat their time.
Say: Think about the kind of the friends and leaders you want in your life. Think of people who are leading because they love God and want to serve Him. When we become leaders, we should do it to help others and bring God glory.

Bible Story Questions

1. Can you think of two things that Mr. Trevor said to describe elders? (Mr. Trevor said elders are in positions of authority, they are leaders, and they are faithful.)
2. What does Peter tell the elders of the church? (He tells them to be shepherds of the church because they want to serve.)
3. Why are elders compared to shepherds? (A good shepherd is someone who looks after his sheep and serves his sheep well. Our elders should be seeking to serve God and others.)
4. How should elders use their power? (They should guide us and protect us and help us obey God.)

Activity:
Supplies: Draw a picture of you being a good leader.
Say: What did you draw? What do you think are important things to do as leaders?

Older Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills

Key Passage Activity:
Supplies: Paper, pen/pencil
Write: the key passage, 1 Peter 5:2, on a piece of paper to read with the kids. Then cut or rip the paper to separate the words. Have the kids put the passage in order and hold a thumbs up when they’re done. Time the kids and challenge them to beat their time.
Say: Think about the kind of the friends and leaders you want in your life. Think of people who are leading because they love God and want to serve Him. When we become leaders, we should do it to help others and bring God glory.

Bible Story Questions

1. Can you think of two things that Mr. Trevor said to describe elders? (Mr. Trevor said elders are in positions of authority, they are leaders, and they are faithful.)
2. What does Peter tell the elders of the church? (He tells them to be shepherds of the church because they want to serve.)
3. Why are elders compared to shepherds? (A good shepherd is someone who looks after his sheep and serves his sheep well. Our elders should be seeking to serve God and others.)
4. How should elders use their power? (They should guide us and protect us and help us obey God.)
5. How can you be a good leader in your friend group? (Open discussion. You should be pointing each other closer to God and to glorifying him through obedience.)

Activity:
Supplies: Draw a picture or list out some leadership qualities that you think are important.
Say: Why did you choose those qualities? What qualities do you see in yourself that would make you a good leader?
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

GSM Notes
Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1-4
The Calling and Responsibility of an Elder

Intro/Overview
Leading a church is an incredible responsibility, one not to be taken lightly. God has established His church, the bride of Christ for His own glory and praise. And although Christ Jesus has ascended to the right hand of the Father, He has not left His people to fend for themselves. Instead, He has called, equipped, and entrusted certain individuals to lead His church, to care for His bride. Pastors and elders have this great responsibility of shepherding the people of God. This means they must lead, teach, and care for the church consistently. Again, keeping watch over the souls of human beings is a great calling, so it must be done with great care and integrity.

In 1 Peter chapter 5, the apostle Peter encourages those that are called to care for the flock, specifically elders within the church. But Peter begins by establishing his own authority as an elder among the people of God. As one who actually walked with Jesus, sat under His teaching, and was given the mission to teach and proclaim the Gospel, Peter was established as an apostle and leader within the body of believers. He first challenges elders not to lead from a place of compulsion but instead to lead “willingly as God would have you (verse 2).” This means there is indeed a right and a wrong way to lead the people of God.

Peter says not to serve the body because we feel forced, but rather serve and care for God’s people willingly. In other words, elders should serve because they want to, not because they have to. That makes all the difference in the world, the heart and motivation behind our serving of others. Peter expands on this a little bit more and says that elders/shepherds shouldn’t lead when they are motivated by greed or money. Unfortunately, this is a reality that Peter encountered in his day, and it is reality in 2020 as well. There are many individuals who get involved in the ministry only for financial reasons. But the word of God is clear, we should not lead and care for the people of God because we received some sort of financial gain. Greed can not be the motivation for our serving.

After challenging the motivation of elders, Peter says in verse 3 that elders are not to lord it over those under their care, but instead to “be examples to the flock.” This means the way that elders (and pastors, church leaders) lead those within the church must be appropriate. They must not abuse their authority or be domineering as those leading and caring for the people of God. Godly leaders show genuine care, compassion, and tenderness for their flock. Elders and pastors must be a Christ-like example to those that they lead.

Finally, Peter reminds those that lead within the body of Christ of the most glorious reality. He says those who are faithful to God will receive an unfading crown of Glory, when the chief Shepherd returns. This chief Shepherd is Christ Jesus. For those that have been called and purposed to lead His bride, that is a great calling and responsibility. And if you remain faithful in that calling, on the day that Christ’s glory is revealed to the world, you too will receive and share in that glory as well.

Discussion Questions
Read 1 Peter 5:1-4
Reflect on these verses

These questions are meant to generate conversations with your students.

1. In this section of chapter 5 Peter is addressing elders within the church. What are the qualifications of an elder (see 1 Timothy 3)? Why are these particular qualifications/attributes so important?
2. What is the job of an elder/pastor? What makes their duty or task different from the rest of the congregation?
3. What does it mean to lead out of compulsion? What does it mean to lead willingly? Are there moments in your life where you lead and serve with the wrong motivations?
4. In chapter 4, Peter reminds those elders/leaders of the crown of glory that awaits them. This is our motivation to serve faithfully. What motivates you most? Is it the glory of God? Is the sacrificial love of Jesus? (this is a great place to really examine your heart and your motivations)

End your time together by praying as a family. Pray specifically for the things that you’ve discussed (and confessed), pray for each other, and pray for our world as we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 crisis and the racial and political tensions currently facing our nation.

Parents:

• Consider ways to leverage the time that you have with your students. How can you utilize this time to help them see Jesus/own the mission?
• In what ways can you love/serve your neighbors? Think of some practical (and safe!) ways that you and your student(s) can be the hands and feet of Jesus at this time.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: Exilic Eldership
Text: 1 Peter 5:1-4 (My own translation)
Campus: Rivermont

“Absolutely nothing is more important in a church family than the DNA of the leadership culture. The healthiest churches I know are those that are led by pastors and elders who are captured by the gospel, smitten with Jesus, and transformed by God's grace.”
~Scotty Smith

The character and culture of a local church is not likely to exceed that of its leaders.

• What an Elder is
• Who Elders lead
• How Elders lead
• What Elders do
• And why that matters

“Therefore, I strongly urge the elders among you [pastors, spiritual leaders of the church], as a fellow elder and as an eyewitness [called to testify] of the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory that is to be revealed...”
1 Peter 5:1

“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care”
1 Peter 5:2

“Leadership is stewardship. It is temporary, and you’re accountable.”

Character matters more than gifting.

“You can learn from another person’s knowledge but you can lead from someone else’s wisdom.”
~David Brooks

“serving as overseers”
1 Peter 5:2

I can’t love you and use you at the same time.

In the Kingdom of God, you’ve got to die in order to lead.

“not because you have to but because you want to.”
1 Peter 5:2

“not greedy for money, but wholeheartedly.”
1 Peter 5:2

“Not lording it over those entrusted to you but being examples to the flock”
1 Peter 5:3

IMAGE: CLICK HERE

“And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”
1 Peter 5:4

Glory for spiritual leaders comes not by success, numbers, growth, or fame, but by humble service and sacrificial love.

“Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith.”
Hebrews 13:7

“Listen to your spiritual leaders and submit to them, since they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief and groans, for this would be of no benefit to you.”
Hebrews 13:17
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Kids City

Click here to watch our Kid City video that corresponds to this sermon guide. https://vimeo.com/showcase/7026436

Bible passage: 1 Peter 4:12-19
Story point: We can expect to suffer as Christians, however, suffering for Jesus is a good thing.
Key passage: 1 Peter 4: 12-13 “Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed.”

Younger Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills
Key Passage Activity
Supplies: Paper, pen/pencil
Write: the key passage, 1 Peter 4:12-13, on a piece of paper to read with the kids. Have the kids try to memorize these 2 verses. Help and encourage them by offering some sort of treat or incentive for memorizing this verse.
Say: Jesus promised His disciples that they would face hard times (see John 16:33), and that is true for every person that wants to follow Him. But if we suffer well and continue to honor Jesus, we will be glorified with Him whenever He returns.

Bible Story Questions

1. Verse 12 says we shouldn’t be surprised when trials and hard times come our way. Why should we expect this as followers of Jesus? (Because the world is opposed to God (see Romans 1) and the things of God. As God’s people, those who represent Him, we will face opposition from the world as well. When we read through the Bible, we see how the disciples faced great persecution because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.)
2. Suffering for Jesus is actually a good thing. Now, this may seem really odd, so how is this possible? (When we continue to follow Jesus, even when it is hard, this brings God great glory. All of the disciples and followers that were killed because of Jesus have now entered heaven and the presence of God with great honor (if you have time, read the story of Stephen from Acts 7).
3. Here in verse 15 Peter says not to suffer as one that does evil (like a thief or murderer, etc.). How is suffering as Christian different than suffering as an evildoer? (Suffering for doing evil is deserved. The punishment and persecution you face is a result of doing evil. However, as believers in Jesus Christ, our suffering leads to a great reward and brings honor rather than shame.)
4. Peter ends this section of chapter 4 by telling us to entrust ourselves to God while we suffer, because this is part of His will. How can we trust God even in the middle of our difficult times? (By remembering that God is a loving Father that cares for all His children. God uses all things, even our hard times, for His glory and for our good. (See Romans 8:28).

Activity:
Supplies: Paper, pencil, drawing utensils - Have your children write or draw some ways in which they can suffer well for the glory of God. Talk through some scenarios that allow for Christian suffering.
Say: Jesus is the ultimate example of suffering for the glory of God. Although He was perfect and sinless, He was nailed to the cross and killed for our forgiveness. When we are facing hard times, let Jesus be the example that we follow.

Older Kids: Bible Story Review & Bible Skills
Key Passage Activity:
Supplies: Paper, pen/pencil
Write: the key passage, 1 Peter 4:12-19, on a piece of paper to read with the kids. Have the kids try to memorize these 2 verses. Help and encourage them by offering some sort of treat or incentive for memorizing this verse.
Say: Jesus promised His disciples that they would face hard times (see John 16:33), and that is true for every person that wants to follow Him. But if we suffer well and continue to honor Jesus, we will be glorified with Him whenever He returns.

Bible Story Questions

1. Verse 12 says we shouldn’t be surprised when trials and hard times come our way. Why should we expect this as followers of Jesus? (Because the world is opposed to God (see Romans 1) and the things of God. As God’s people, those who represent Him, we will face opposition from the world as well. When we read through the Bible, we see how the disciples faced great persecution because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.)
2. Suffering for Jesus is actually a good thing. Now, this may seem really odd, so how is this possible? (When we continue to follow Jesus, even when it is hard, this brings God great glory. All of the disciples and followers that were killed because of Jesus have now entered heaven and the presence of God with great honor (if you have time, read the story of Stephen from Acts 7).
3. Here in verse 15 Peter says not to suffer as one that does evil (like a thief or murderer, etc.). How is suffering as Christian different than suffering as an evildoer? (Suffering for doing evil is deserved. The punishment and persecution you face is a result of doing evil. However, as believers in Jesus Christ, our suffering leads to a great reward and brings honor rather than shame.)
4. Peter ends this section of chapter 4 by telling us to entrust ourselves to God while we suffer, because this is part of His will. How can we trust God even in the middle of our difficult times? (By remembering that God is a loving Father that cares for all His children. God uses all things, even our hard times, for His glory and for our good. (See Romans 8:28)

Activity:
Supplies: Pencils/paper - Write out some ways that we suffer here in this life (for example, if we steal we go to jail, if we fall, we get hurt, we can get sick, etc.). Now, write/discuss some ways in which we can use suffering for the glory of God and to point people to Jesus.
Say: Jesus is the suffering servant. He suffered death on the cross, satisfying the will of God for His glory and our good. If we suffer well for the name of Jesus, we are simply following the example that Jesus has set for us.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

GSM Notes
Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19
Expect Suffering, for the Glory of God

Intro/Overview
As believers in Jesus Christ, we can expect to face difficult times. In fact, hard times are expected as a result of living in a fallen and broken world. However, the Bible tells us that we should not be surprised when difficulty comes our way, especially as a result of our allegiance to Christ. In 1 Peter chapter 4, the apostle Peter reminds his readers of this reality. He tells this group of exiles that suffering, and persecution are not unusual, quite the contrary, they are to be expected.

Instead of facing these difficult times with bitterness and grumbling, we are told to rejoice. Now this certainly seems like an incredible contradiction. How in the world are we going to rejoice in our sufferings? Peter says to rejoice because we are sharing in the suffering of Christ Jesus, our Savior. This is a radically different concept than anything that the world will teach you. When we suffer for doing well, we are actually blessed; this is a good thing. This is a good and glorious thing because we are sharing in the sufferings of Jesus. The reality is this: we are never more like Christ than when we are suffering for the sake of righteousness.

Peter reminds his readers again here of an important distinction between righteous suffering and suffering for wrongdoing. In verse 15 he says, “Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler.” So, we know that suffering comes when we do evil, there are consequences and punishment associated with our wrongdoings. But Peter says to the people of God, don’t suffer for that. Instead he says to suffer as Christians, for the sake and name of Christ Jesus. Again, this is a truly blessed thing (for more on that, read Matthew 5:10-12).

Finally, Peter ends chapter 4 by reminding us that we can trust God even in our suffering, for this too is His will. This is often overlooked by many Christians; we forget that God is sovereign and totally in control of all things. So, because of this reality, and because He is a loving heavenly Father, we can entrust ourselves to Him, continue to pursue His will and do good even in the face of suffering and adversity. Romans 8:28 tells us that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him. That means even our suffering, trials, and persecution are part of His good plan.

Discussion Questions
Read: 1 Peter 4:12-19
Reflect on these verses

These questions are meant to generate conversations with your students.

1. Verse 12 tells us that we can expect fiery ordeals, so we should not be surprised by difficult times. Why would we as followers of Christ be expected to face so much tribulation? What is it about following Jesus that leads us to difficulty?
2. Peter tells this group of exiles that suffering for doing well is actually a good thing. This is so counter-cultural, and really counter-intuitive. In what ways (specifically) can we suffer for the glory of God? (discuss some examples or scenarios)
3. Here in verse 15, Peter warns this group of believers not to suffer for doing evil, like a thief, or murderer, or meddler, etc. We know that there are natural consequences for sin/evil deeds. How is suffering in this way different than suffering for Jesus?
4. When we suffer for doing good, this is all part of the will of God (verse 19). It is even in these moments of difficulty that we can entrust ourselves to God. How can we trust Him in these dark and difficult times? What motivates us to do this?

End your time together by praying as a family. Pray specifically for the things that you’ve discussed (and confessed), pray for each other, and pray for our world as we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 crisis and the racial and political tensions currently facing our nation.

Parents:

• Consider ways to leverage the time that you have with your students. How can you utilize this time to help them see Jesus/own the mission?
• In what ways can you love/serve your neighbors? Think of some practical (and safe!) ways that you and your student(s) can be the hands and feet of Jesus at this time.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Brenton Lehman
Title: 1 Peter 4:12-19 (Guided Prayer & Worship)
Text: 1 Peter 4:12-19
Congregation: Rivermont

“Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you.”
1 Peter 4:12

“Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. “
1 Peter 4:13

“So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.”
1 Peter 4:19

“For the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?”
1 Peter 4:17

Prayers for Commitment and Surrender

• Repentance: Expose our idols
• Surrender: Jesus, help us to follow you wherever you lead, no matter the cost.

“If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name.”
1 Peter 4:14-16.

There is a joy that will always remain just out of reach if we are unwilling to name and carry that pain to Jesus.

Prayer Prompts

• Name the pain: In what ways have you suffered? In what ways are you suffering?
• Pray for those who are suffering physically, spiritually, or emotionally in our church family.

Open Doors USA—in just the last year:

• Over 260 million Christians living in places where they experience high levels of persecution
• 2,983 Christians killed for their faith
• 9,488 churches and other Christian buildings attacked
• 3,711 believers detained without trial, arrested, sentenced, or imprisoned

“Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily.”
Hebrews 13:3

Corporate Prayer

• Pray for protection, encouragement, and healing
• Pray for justice and peace
• Pray for freedom from oppression and freedom to follow Jesus
• Pray for revival and awakening

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sermon Notes: Andrew Moroz
Title: 1 Peter 4:12-19 (Guided Prayer & Worship)
Text: 1 Peter 4:12-19
Congregation: College Hill

We all suffer in different ways, and some of us suffer for our faith.
“Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you.”
Read 1 Pet. 4:12 (CSB)

Christians rejoice in the midst of suffering because:

• We don’t suffer in vain.
• Our suffering is not indefinite (v. 13).
• There’s a unique blessing that is extended toward those who suffer for Christ, and God is uniquely present with those who suffer for their faith (v. 14).

“Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name.””
Read 1 Pet. 12:15-16

“So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.”
Read 1 Pet. 12:19

Christians can suffer well, and bear fruit, by fully entrusting ourselves to God.

Prayers of commitment and surrender.

When we follow Jesus in our context, we do put ourselves in positions where we might be misunderstood.

Not all of our suffering is the result of obeying the Lord, but we all suffer while being obedient.

In what ways have you suffered? In what ways are you suffering?

Prayer prompts:
-Jesus, help us to count the cost of following you.
-Help us to be faithful and obedient, even when it’s hard.
-Pray for the challenges that are named, and that are represented in our church and community.
-Pray for those who are suffering physically, spiritually, or emotionally in our church family.

“Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily.” - Heb. 13:3

Corporate prayer
Prayer prompts:
-Pray for protection, encouragement, and healing.
-Pray for justice and peace.
-Pray for freedom from oppression and freedom to follow Jesus.

1 Peter 4:12-19, The Message
“Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.
 If you’re abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. It’s the Spirit of God and his glory in you that brought you to the notice of others. If they’re on you because you broke the law or disturbed the peace, that’s a different matter. But if it’s because you’re a Christian, don’t give it a second thought. Be proud of the distinguished status reflected in that name!
It’s judgment time for God’s own family. We’re first in line. If it starts with us, think what it’s going to be like for those who refuse God’s Message!
If good people barely make it, What’s in store for the bad?
So, if you find life difficult because you’re doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he’s doing, and he’ll keep on doing it.”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________