Sermon Series Study Guides

True hope is only found in Jesus.  Life is full of storms and building our life on the solid foundation of Christ and His teaching is the only way to truly endure. This is not new.  The earliest believers dealt with the same troubles and were encouraged when they received Peter's second letter.

In this series we will explore the four great themes laid out by Peter and learn how they still apply today.

Christians are called to an abundant, productive life in Jesus; however, selfish ambition taints our efforts. Instead of abiding in God and enjoying His control of us, we set out with self-centered measurements, shallow goals, and warped ambitions. Recognizing that nonsense, we sometimes eschew ambition totally, mistakenly assuming the answer to selfish ambition is to kill off the ambition. That is no better!

In this series we will learn to leave behind both selfish ambition and no ambition, recognizing and receiving the full benefit of godly ambition.

We activate a joyful response to life…sometimes. Yet Jesus desires our joy in Him to be full. If we abide in Him, joy and fruitfulness follow. While the real enemies of grief and fear take us into the dark valley of death, the Lord shepherds us through that shadow. In the best and worst of times, in the now and the not yet, we can and should experience joy by following the Shepherd.

Real love, unity and holiness must be lived out among us. Our church, indeed our region, desperately need this and it is the outgrowth of who we are! Living out the grace God has given us is what we are called and equipped to do.

People who know who they are, and how deeply God loves them, live changed lives. Followers of Jesus must understand just who we really are as the body of Christ and how deeply we are loved. Understanding this truth will surely lead to transformative joy expressed in unity and love.

Joy comes from abiding in Jesus, loving other believers, and bearing fruit.  Jesus calls those who trust him to experientially enjoy the union we have in Christ. This dwelling in Jesus sparks abiding love and leads inevitably to a joy which continues beyond the here and now

Time, space, family, hope, trustworthy information – these often seem in short supply or warped beyond usefulness. Yet Revelation reminds us that we have all these blessings now and forever in Christ. It’s a reminder that we desperately need to take to heart.

Knowing God the Father and making Him known

God the Father is not only one Person of the Trinity; He is indeed The Father. He is the ever-existent creator, benevolent Abba, the God who reigns, plans, sacrifices, judges, and harmonizes.  For true love to be understood and activated, we must know God the Father for who He is.

Thriving for the good of others, despite hardships, by God's grace

Societies worldwide struggle with corruption, unilateral self-interest, disengagement, and division. As followers of Christ, we are uniquely positioned to address these problems by increasing our engagement without compromising our calling.

Activating Biblical Love in Every Situation...

The New Testament has a number of brief "love letters" which instruct and encourage us in loving others.  In this series we will learn how to love others well, without reinforcing foolish ideas or destructive desires.

Our commission as Christians is to positively impact humanity by taking Jesus’ words and ordinances to all the world. In God’s wisdom, this is primarily accomplished not through ruling, but serving. Yet, our service isn’t passive. Christians are called to be active people, ones who take on new adventures by embracing the continual process of growth in Christ.

The Christian today needs to cling to the Lord our God, learning that the life of possessing our inheritance is a life of faith. We are quick to abandon that singular trust in God which has brought us life, hope, joy, justification, and every spiritual blessing. Instead, we become so enamored with ourselves, the stuff of life, or even the good spiritual blessing we’re granted that we lose sight of the Giver Himself.

Christians today need to recognize the power of the conquering God. By renewing our understanding of the awesome might of the Lord, we are more likely to enjoy the trusting obedience that makes the Christian life joyful and productive. This is a grace situation, in that the sovereign Lord cares so deeply for us as to provide for us the power and opportunity to obey.

God owns everything, by right of being both Creator and King. Rather than hoard His creation, He invites humans to share in managing it. This amazing opportunity is repeated even after humanity falls and the world is warped by sin. Further, God provides for His vice-regents all that is necessary. Wise humans appreciate the gift, give before the Lord, discern best avenues of stewardship, follow God’s instruction, avoid distractions, and stay the course.

It goes by many names: spiritual growth, Christian maturity, sanctification.Regardless, it doesn’t happen spontaneously or by accident. Especially as we account for theconsiderable opposition we face by the world, our flesh and the Devil, abounding spirituallytakes undaunted intention and prayer. As fully devoted followers of Christ, we do not have acasual interest in being useful to our King. We are not indifferent to living in a way that pleasesHim. And we are not content to know Him partially, when there is more that He has revealedto us. Instead, as we increase in our knowledge/understanding of Him, our love for Himbecause of who He is and all He’s done deepens, which compels us greater trust andobedience.

God prepares the people of Israel for their new adventure of conquest. Rather than shirk from the tasks before them, this new generation embraces the opportunities presented to them. Their leader, Joshua, becomes a new Moses – a leader that cements the establishment of the nation and gives them a permanent home. In these first five chapters, we see Joshua and the people work in great harmony as they take the serious, exciting, and sacrificial steps to prepare for their victory.

Peter’s first general letter is one of those rare books where a clear purpose statement is delivered. As with John’s gospel, this purpose statement comes near the end (1 Peter 5:12; John’s is found in 20:31.) That declaration to stand in God’s grace obviously sets the tone for the entire epistle and undergirds Peter’s argument.

We must fix our eyes on Jesus rather than losing sight of the mission among our many hindrances and snares. We can effectively do so via the simple reminders of 2 Timothy 1:7:
   - Don’t fear. Use your superpower!
   - Don't hate. Keep loving!
   - Don’t settle. Press on!

Apologetic discussions rarely lead a person directly to faith in Jesus, though I have experienced exceptions. Regardless, Christian apologetics serve four important functions. Apologetics:

• Can prove very important in pre-evangelism, clearing away lies that get in the way of understanding the gospel
• Should strengthen the believer’s own grasp of truth and cause him or her to follow Jesus more confidently
• Foster internal humility as Christians understand current and past failings
• Promote external peace through growing love for the lost

Habakkuk teaches us how to engage with the Lord when our circumstances are painful and wicked. When God’s covenant child really looks at all the filth of this life, he or she is confronted with a genuine problem. Habakkuk teaches us to look more deeply still – where we find the answers to those problems.

In the second half of Mark, Jesus reveals the breathtaking path of discipleship – an immediacy of daily denying self, taking up the cross, and following Him. These requirements for discipleship are all stated in present, continuous tense in Mark’s Greek:

• "Deny" means to disavow any connection with one’s own flesh.
• Take up one’s cross, i.e., welcome exposure and minimization.
• Follow Jesus, especially in obedience.

There are a few words that convey a depth of thought distilled by centuries, words on which biblical doctrine is based and through which theology can be understood by all. These terms change lives. In this study we have selected eight such words, choosing those that are both very important and often misunderstood.

Jesus is revealed as the Glorious One. Along with His apostles, we marvel as Mark introduces us to Jesus as:
Son of Man, Lord of the Sabbath,  Apostle-sender, Giver of kingdom secrets, Commander of weather, Miraculous healer, Shepherd/provider, 
Lord of everything – all traditions, foods, peoples, and actions,  Messiah