Kingsway Christian Church Sermons - Audio

Sermon Notes He said to them, “When you pray, say: “ ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’ ” - Luke 11:2-4 NIV When it’s possible: Let the Bible explain the Bible. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. - James 1:2-3 NIV Trials: something that breaks the pattern of peace, comfort, joy and happiness in someone’s life. The verb form of this word means ‘to put someone or something to the test,’ with the purpose of discovering that person’s nature or that thing’s quality. - From Got Questions.org When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. - James 1:13-15 NIV H.A.L.T. Hungry Angry Lonely Tired Temptation: comes from within but can be triggered by the Evil One. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” - Matthew 6:13 NIV The key here is to see God as your partner in this battle. Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. - James 4:7-8 NIV ”If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” - Luke 11:13 NIV “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.” - Luke 11:21-22NIV Jesus has already gone to battle with the Strongman holding you back, and He won! “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’” - Luke 11:24 NIV “When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.” - Luke 11:25 NIV “Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.” - Luke 11:26 NIV Ridding yourself of a habit is not enough. Your life needs filled with one greater than your best! Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” - Acts 2:38-39 NIV

Sermon Notes Psalm 18:19b NIV He rescued me because He delighted in me. I Peter 4:8 NIV Above all else love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Luke 11:4a NIV Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. Colossians 3:13 NIV Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive just as the Lord forgave you. Luke 17:3b–4 ESV If your brother sins, rebuke him and if he repents forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him. Colossians 3:19 NASB Husbands love your wives and do not be embittered against them. Proverbs 20:5 ESV The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out. John 5:6b NIV “Do you want to get well?” Matthew 18:34-35 NIV In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how your my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” You can’t forgive from your heart until you get in touch with the pain in your heart. Psalm 139:23-24 NIV Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Proverbs 18:19a NIV A brother (child) wronged (offended) is more unyielding than a fortified city. Genesis 27:42b NLT “… Listen, Esau is consoling himself by plotting to kill you.” Psalm 123:3-4 NIV Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, for we have endured no end … of ridicule from the arrogant of contempt from the proud. “When He tells us to love our enemies He gives, along with the command, the love itself.” - Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place I stood there – I whose sins had again and again been forgiven – and could not forgive. Betsie had died in that place. Could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking“? It could have been many seconds that he stood there-hand held out-but to me. It seemed like hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I ever had to do…I had to do it…I knew that…forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. “Jesus help me!” I prayed silently. As she reached out her hand to the former guard, Corrie says that something incredible took place. “The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes. ‘I forgive you, brother!’ I cried. ‘With all my heart!” I had never known so love so intensely, as I did then, But even then, I realized it was not my love, it was the power of the Holy Spirt.” Colossians 2:13-15 NIV God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. 1 John 3:14 NIV We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Ezekiel 36:26-27 NIV I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Sermon Notes Hebrews 11:6a NIV And without faith, it is impossible to please God. Sheep cannot rest if they are struggling with one of these four things: fear, hunger, friction, or predators. Luke 11:2-4 NIV "Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation." Deuteronomy 8:3 NIV He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your father had known, to teach you man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. He wants us to learn dependence upon him. II Chronicles 16:12 NIV In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians. Proverbs 30:8b-9 NIV "… give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." He wants us to be a family and to show our love for one another by being willing to sacrifice for each other. II Corinthians 9:6 NIV Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Acts 4:32 NIV All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. "If today’s church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century." – Martin Luther King Jr. Letter From Birmingham Jail

Sermon Notes Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭1 (NIV) One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭2 (NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ He said to them, "When you pray, say: "'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭3-4‬a ‭(NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭4‬b ‭(NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "And lead us not into temptation." The early church prayed the "Our Father" three times a day (morning, noon, and night). Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭2 ‭(NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "When you pray, say: "'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. "Our Father. Familiar words, maybe so familiar that they are no longer real. Those words were not only real, but also revolutionary to the twelve disciples. Pagan philosophers such as Aristotle arrived at the existence of God via human reason and referred to Him in vague, impersonal terms: the uncaused cause, the immovable mover. The prophets of Israel revealed the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in a warmer, more compassionate manner. But only Jesus revealed to an astonished Jewish community that God is truly Father." - Brennan Manning, The Furious Longing of God Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭2 ‭(NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "When you pray, say: " 'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Hallowed = (Ἁγιασθήτω/Hagiasthētō) = Holy Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV) God's holiness means God does not see the world, our sins, and our problems the way we do. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. In this prayer, we see that God is both: 1) tough and tender. 2) intimate and infinite. 3) attentive and awesome. God desires both the intimacy of "Father" and the respect of "hallowed" Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭5‬ (NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; - Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬ (NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.' Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭7‬ (NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ And suppose the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭8‬ ‭(NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. As a good Father, God delights in meeting all your needs. Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭9‬ ‭(NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "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 ‭11‬:‭10‬ ‭(NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭11-12‬ ‭(NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭13‬ ‭(NIV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "If you took the love of all the best mothers and fathers who have lived in the course of human history, all their goodness, kindness, patience, fidelity, wisdom, tenderness, strength, and love and united all those qualities in a single person, that person's love would only be a faint shadow of the furious love and mercy in the heart of God the Father addressed to you and me at this moment." - Brennan Manning, The Furious Longing of God

Sermon Notes Let's Celebrate 2023! Sunday attendance increased by 7%60 total baptismsStarting Point increased by 96%Global engagement increased by 57%110 people participated in Rooted The Rooted Experience is an 11-week small-group opportunity that inspires questions, conversations, and experiences designed to connect people to God, His Church, and their purpose. Kingsway people are finding it an excellent way to meet and connect with others. In 2024, we will: Continue to proclaim the name of JesusVisit 3 countries on Trips: Northern Ireland, Peru, and MexicoSummer ExperienceCIY for HSHanging Rock for MSSpringHill Day Camps for KidsLaunch our new DCS space to bless those going through the most traumatic life experiencesLaunch our Partnership with Pathways Learning Academy Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭38‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him." Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭40‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭41‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, Be careful: it's easy to confuse spiritual activity for true connection. Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭42‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." One thing is needed: Jesus First! John‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. John‬ ‭12‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. Jesus is worthy of our sacrifice and praise! John‬ ‭12‬:‭4 ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, John‬ ‭12‬:‭5-6 ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. John‬ ‭12‬:‭7-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me." Heavenly Father, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven. Nothing more, nothing less, & nothing else. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Sermon Notes Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" The "Law" = the Torah (the first 5 books). There are 613 laws in the Torah. Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭27 ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ He answered, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Pay attention to your inner motives. Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭33‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. "he took pity on him." = he felt an aching in his gut (compassion) Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭34‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. To really live means to feel an ache in your gut for others that moves you into action. Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭35‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'" If you want to honor Jesus, then plan to be generous with your life and resources. Last year, 44 people were sent globally; 100 were sent locally! Will God evaluate me as generous with my life and resources? Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭36 ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭37‬a NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." $500,000+ collected // $2,100,000 committed Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭37‬b NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

Sermon Notes Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. In Genesis 10: 70 nations listed in the Masoretic Text (Hebrew and Aramaic Old Testament)72 nations listed in the LXX (Greek Old Testament) Deuteronomy‬ ‭32‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided all mankind, he (the Most High) set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel. For the Lord's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance. Acts‬ ‭17‬:‭24‬-‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they (you!) would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Jesus wants you to see yourself as sent by Him into your everyday life. Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road." Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me." Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭17 ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." I saw satan fall like lightning. I saw darkness run for cover. But the miracle that I just can't get over, My name is registered in heaven. This is my testimony from death to life. Cause grace rewrote my story, I'll testify! By Jesus Christ, the Righteous, I'm justified. This is my testimony! - My Testimony, Song by Elevation Worship Acts 17:27‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

Sermon Notes ‭‭Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it." Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ They (Moses and Elijah) spoke about his departure (exodus), which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭43‬-‭45‬ ‭NIV And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, "Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men." But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭51‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. Jesus' reason for existing is abundantly clear to Him: He came to bring glory to His Father by reconciling the world back to Him. Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "For the Son of Man (Jesus) came to seek and to save the lost." Bottom Line: Putting Jesus first means arranging my priorities to match God's priorities. Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭57‬NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬ As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭58‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Jesus replied, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Follow Jesus no matter the cost. Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭59‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ He said to another man, "Follow me." But he replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭60‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." The 10 Commandments: 1. No other gods. 2. Do not make idols. 3. Honor the name of the Lord. 4. Keep the Sabbath holy. 5. Honor your father and your mother. Follow Jesus before your family and social commitments. Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭61‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family." Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭62‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Follow Jesus and don't look back. 1 Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother goodbye," he said, "and then I will come with you." "Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?" So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant. - ‭‭ Jesus, Matthew 6:10 "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Eugene Peterson calls this "A long obedience in the same direction."‬‬‬‬‬‬

Sermon Notes Has life ever felt "dark" and made you wonder if God was real or even interested in your story? "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in you." – The Confessions of St. Augustine Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭1-2a‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. - Grace = unmerited favor Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭1-2b‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Biblical Hope = Confident expectation that God will do what He promised us he would do. Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬-‭4 NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭6 ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. What seemed to be hopeless was really just God working behind the scenes on His own time! Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. "The greatest sources of our suffering are the lies we tell ourselves. After listening to a leader share his self doubts and fears, I sometimes surprise him with a rebuke. 'You're a big stinkin' liar! Stop lying to yourself! You're neither helpless nor hopeless. Christ is in you, and He is for you!'" - Alan Ahlgrim, Soul Strength: Rhythms for Thriving

Sermon Notes Three rules of being an elf: Treat every day like Christmas. There's room for everyone on the nice list. The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear. Love Each Other: We value and serve one another by showing love and care. We assume the best, trust each other, and work through conflict and disagreements quickly, with grace and truth. Today, we are getting our joy back. "Christian joy is a good feeling in the soul, produced by the Holy Spirit, as he causes us to see the beauty of Christ in the word and in the world." – John Piper Galatians 5:16-17 NIV So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. Galatians 5:19-21 NIV The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:22-26 NIV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." Joy gives you power. God's Joy gives you strength. Buddy suffered. We all suffer. Jesus suffered. Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 11:39-40 NIV These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 1. Treat every day like it's Easter. 2. There's room for everyone in the Book of Life. 2 Peter 3:8-9 NIV But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 3. The best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing loud for our Lord to hear.

Sermon Notes Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ And he said, "The Son of Man (Jesus) must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God." Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Prayer and breakthrough go hand-in-hand. Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Moses is the great leader and prophet who brought the Law. Elijah was the great prophet who represented all other prophets. Those who die with faith in Jesus are very much alive right now. John‬ ‭11‬:‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;" Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭32‬-‭33‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.)" Prayer is often needed most when you are most weary. Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭34‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭35‬-‭36‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen. The breakthrough you are looking for comes from a constant connection to God in prayer. Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, "Why couldn't we drive it out?" He replied, "This kind can come out only by prayer."

Sermon Notes When the storms of life hit hardest, the Church shines brightest! Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭18‬-19 ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life." Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "God's Messiah." Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Church (ekklesia) - the gathering of the called-out ones. "Gathering" implies movement and activity. Gates of Hades - the abode (house) of the dead. Every believer has been called out to plunder life from the grips of death! Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it." Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?" Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." How can I deny myself and find true life? Our Mission is to become like Jesus by living out our Growth Path: Go - who do you know that needs the transforming love of Christ?Connect - imagine a group of people helping each other through life's ups and downs.Give - radical generosity is what shows the world we believe we are blessed to be a blessing.Serve - is the way we show the world we believe we are not here on accident. Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭45‬ ‭NIV "For even the Son of Man (Jesus) did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Sermon Notes Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear." Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them." Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear." Jesus believes my transformed life will produce more life. Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. ‭‭Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. Demonic possession is where an evil spirit takes over the thoughts, actions, and decision-making of a human. It happens but is rare. Demonic oppression is where a person, even a Christian, is tormented or tempted by an evil spirit. ‭‭James‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ‭James 4‬:‭7‬-‭8‬a ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. "There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them." – C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don't torture me!" Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. Jesus relentlessly pursues those who need him most. Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭34‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, Be bold while sharing your story. Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭35‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ And the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭36‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. ‭‭Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭37‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left. Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭38‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return home and tell how much God has done for you." So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him. Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

Sermon Notes Luke 8:5a NIV "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed,…" 1) "some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up." – Luke 8:5b NIV 2) "Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture." – Luke 8:6 NIV 3) "Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants." – Luke 8:7 NIV 4) "Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." – Luke 8:8a NIV When (Jesus) said this, he called out, "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear." – Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭8b ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved." Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV "Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away."‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature." Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop." "To retain or restrain" the word of God means to hold fast, keep secure, or even in the opposite sense, it can mean to "restrain" it and not let it escape from you. James‬ ‭1‬:‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. "… by persevering, produce a crop." hupomoné = a remaining under, a patient endurance (endure under…) James‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. What was the last thing the Lord told you to do? Have you done it? Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭22 NIV One day Jesus said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side of the lake." So they got into a boat and set out.‬ Mark‬ ‭4‬:‭36a‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Leaving the crowd behind, they took (Jesus) along, just as he was, in the boat." Jesus is inviting the disciples into a bigger story than they had ever imagined possible. Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger. Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. Luke‬ ‭8‬:‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him." A crisis of faith occurs when you realize the storm you're with is bigger than the storm you're in. "If you live a long time, eventually your body will give out, and you'll die. And maybe it will happen sooner – through an earthquake, a fire, or some other disaster. Nature is violent and overwhelming – it's unmanageable power, and it's going to get you sooner or later. You may say, that's true, but if I go to Jesus, he's not under my control either. He lets things happen that I don't understand. He doesn't do things according to my plan, or in a way that makes sense to me. But if Jesus is God, then he's got to be great enough to have some reasons to let you go through things you can't understand. His power is unbounded, but so are his wisdom and his love" – Timothy Keller, Jesus the King: Understanding the Life and Death of the Son of God Sometimes, the purpose of the storm is to prune your life for more...

Sermon Notes Text "MARRIAGE" to 317.565.4911 Grow Always: We are always learning and growing. We don't have everything it takes, but He does. We humbly and intentionally ask for help and feedback so we can be better. Proverbs‬ ‭9‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you. Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. Every family has toxic moments. It's how we handle the toxicity that determines if we are healthy or not. Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends, and against all sound judgment starts quarrels. Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Proverbs‬ ‭27‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm; restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand. Proverbs‬ ‭27‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. "The rift isn't as important as the repair." - April Bordeau, Care to Change Proverbs‬ ‭19‬:‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ A person's wisdom yields patience; it is to one's glory to overlook an offense. James‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. God gave us two ears and one mouth. Use them proportionately. James‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, James‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Step 1: Empathetically hear them to understand. You will know you've heard them when: a. They are done speaking (don't interrupt). b. You think you understand what they are saying. c. You think you understand why they are saying it. Step 2: Put yourself in their shoes, and affirm their thoughts, ideas, and/or feelings. a. Use "wow" before "how". Ex. Wow, I had no idea I was making you feel that way. Wow, that must be really hard for you… I'm so sorry) b. Reflect back to them what you heard them say. Ex. It sounds like you are really irritated when I…", or "it sounds like you are really missing having a connection with me." c. If you find you misunderstood, go back to step 1 and listen some more. Step 3: Seek resolution on how to move forward. a. How can I help you? b. What can I do differently next time? c. Is there anything I can do to make this right?

Sermon Notes Sex was created by God to be a bonding experience so powerful that two separate things could become one through this moment. Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. – God Mark‬ ‭10‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate." – Jesus Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." – Apostle Paul Sex is beautifully designed by God to foster oneness in marriage. 1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭16‬‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." "Kathy and I were virgins when we married. Even in our day, that may have been the minority experience, but that meant that on our wedding night we were not in any position to try to impress or entice one another. All we were trying to do was to tenderly express with our bodies the oneness we had first begun feeling as friends and which had then had grown stronger and deeper as we fell in love. Frankly, that night I was clumsy and awkward and fell asleep anxious and discouraged. Sex was frustrating at first. It was the frustration of an artist who has in his head a picture or a story but lacks the skills to express it." – Timothy and Kathy Keller, The Meaning of Marriage In Song of Solomon: The wife speaks first, the wife speaks last, and the wife speaks most, EXCEPT when it comes to the moment when they make love. Song of Songs‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from the hills of Gilead. Song of Songs‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn, coming up from the washing. Each has its twin; not one of them is alone. Song of Songs‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; your mouth is lovely. Your temples behind your veil are like the halves of a pomegranate. Song of Songs‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Your neck is like the tower of David, built with courses of stone; on it hang a thousand shields, all of them shields of warriors. Song of Songs‬ ‭4‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Your breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle that browse among the lilies. Song of Songs‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will go to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of incense. Song of Songs‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you. Song of Songs‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ You have stolen my heart, my sister, my bride; you have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. Song of Songs‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume more than any spice!‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Song of Songs‬ ‭4‬:‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Your lips drop sweetness as the honeycomb, my bride; milk and honey are under your tongue. The fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon. Song of Songs‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ You are a garden locked up, my sister, my bride; you are a spring enclosed, a sealed fountain. Song of Songs‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits, with henna and nard, nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense tree, with myrrh and aloes and all the finest spices. Song of Songs‬ ‭4‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV You are a garden fountain, a well of flowing water streaming down from...

Sermon Notes "A fine wedding is pricey, but a fine marriage is priceless." – Dr. David Jeremiah, What the Bible Says About Love, Marriage, and Sex Song of Songs‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Who is this coming up from the wilderness like a column of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and incense made from all the spices of the merchant? Song of Songs‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Look! It is Solomon's carriage, escorted by sixty warriors, the noblest of Israel, Carriage = "mittah" (מִטָּה) = a couch or a bed. Song of Songs‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ All of them wearing the sword, all experienced in battle, each with his sword at his side, prepared for the terrors of the night. The groom is going out of his way to make sure his soon-to-be bride feels safe. Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Helper Suitable = ezer kə·neḡ·dōw Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬ ‭NIV The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man."‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Genesis‬ ‭2‬:‭25‬ ‭NIV‬ Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ To the woman he said, "I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." "Eve is deceived...and rather easily, as my friend Jan Meyers points out. In The Allure of Hope, Jan says, "Eve was convinced that God was withholding something from her." Not even the extravagance of Eden could convince her that God's heart is good. "When Eve was [deceived], the artistry of being a woman took a fateful dive into the barren places of control and loneliness." Now every daughter of Eve wants to "control her surroundings, her relationships, her God." No longer is she vulnerable; now she will be grasping. No longer does she want simply to share in the adventure; now she wants to control it. And as for her beauty, she either hides it in fear and anger, or she uses it to secure her place in the world. "In our fear that no one will speak on our behalf or protect us or fight for us, we start to recreate both ourselves and our role in the story. We manipulate our surroundings so we don't feel so defenseless." Fallen Eve either becomes rigid or clingy. Put simply, Eve is no longer simply inviting. She is either hiding in busyness or demanding that Adam come through for her; usually, an odd combination of both." - John and Stasi Eldredge, Captivating 1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. Men, are you honoring your bride in your words and actions toward her, and also privately when she is not in the room? Song of Songs‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ King Solomon made for himself the carriage; he made it of wood from Lebanon. Carriage = “appiryon” (אַפִּרְיוֹן) a sedan,...

Sermon Notes "Every Christian has the same primary calling or vocation: We are called to Jesus, by Jesus, and for Jesus. Our first call is to love him with our whole being and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Biblical writers use many analogies to describe our relationship with God (shepherd/sheep, master/slave, parent/child), but marriage is perhaps the most comprehensive and "least inadequate." - Peter Scazzero, The Emotionally Healthy Leader Mark‬ ‭2‬:‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, "How is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not." Mark‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast."‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Jesus is the groom; the church is His Bride. Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. "Throughout the history of the church, Christians have tended to elevate the importance of one over the other. For the first 1,500 years of the church, singleness was considered the preferred state and the best way to serve Christ. Singles sat at the front of the church. Marrieds were sent to the back. Things changed after the Reformation in 1517, when single people were sent to the back and marrieds moved to the front — at least among Protestants." - Peter Scazzero, The Emotionally Healthy Leader 1 Corinthians‬ ‭7‬:‭32‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs—how he can please the Lord. 1 Corinthians‬ ‭7‬:‭33‬-‭34‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. 1 Corinthians‬ ‭7‬:‭35‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. "Scripture, however, refers to both statuses as weighty, meaningful vocations." - Peter Scazzero, The Emotionally Healthy Leader Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭25‬-‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it." Born that way Made this way by others Make a choice for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven Marriage is intended to be a math equation where: 1 whole person + 1 whole person = 1 New Person 1 Corinthians‬ ‭7‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. "Vowed celibates. These are individuals who make lifelong vows to remain single and maintain lifelong sexual abstinence as a means of living out their commitment to Christ. They do this freely in response to a God-given gift of...

Sermon Notes Song of Songs 2:8 NIV Listen! My beloved! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills. We are 25 verses in, with at least 18 compliments and not one harsh word. Song of Songs 2:9 NIV My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There, he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice. Song of Songs 2:10 NIV My beloved spoke and said to me, "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me." Song of Songs 2:11-12 NIV "See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land." Song of Songs 2:13 NIV "The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me." Song of Songs 2:14 NIV My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. How are your words and actions building up the one you love? Song of Songs 2:15 NIV Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom. "It's the slow leaks, not the blow outs; the insidious pests we seldom even consider that cut away at the heart of a home until it crumbles and two people end up walking away." - Charles Swindoll, Strike the Original Match Dating is for the purpose of discovering the kind of person you want to spend the rest of your life with. "If you do not allow yourself to rush into falling for someone that you have not become friends with first, you will be more sure when you let yourself go to the next step. Certainly, you might find yourself having all sorts of feelings. Enjoy them. But do not believe them. Only believe your experience of getting to know a person and seeing if you can share at a deep level. See if you find that he or she is a person of the kind of character you would trust as a friend. And as important as all of that, see if that person is a person that you would like spending time with if there were no romance at all. That is the one true measure of a friend, a person with whom you like to spend time, having no regard to how you are spending it. "Hanging out" is fulfilling in and of itself. And that, long-term, requires character, and in the deepest of friendships, shared values as well. You would want your best friends to be honest, faithful, deep, spiritual, responsible, connecting, growing, loving, and the like. Make sure that those qualities are also present in the person you are falling in love with." - Dr. Henry Cloud, Boundaries in Dating Song of Songs 2:16-17 NIV My beloved is mine, and I am his; he browses among the lilies. Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, turn, my beloved, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the rugged hills. A relationship is ready to get to the serious stage when you have seen their worst days, and still feel totally safe with them emotionally, relationally, physically, and historically. "A person who truly loves you should be able to handle the full truth about you. I met a man who fell in love with, courted, and married a young woman who had once been the "pass around" girl in her college. She had been through twenty or more sexual affairs during her college days. By the time she met the man she later married, she had come to her senses, committed her life to the Lord, and was deeply embarrassed about her past. Nevertheless, she confessed her past to her husband. She wanted no secrets between them. What was his response? He wept openly for the pain and grief she had suffered. He rejoiced that she had come to Christ. His love for her increased because he saw the transformation in her life as both a miracle from God and an act of courage on her part. He became her protector, loving her in a way that gave her a genuine shield against the world." – Tommy Nelson, The Book...

Sermon Notes How do you know if you found "the one"? One of the beauties of early relationships is the pursuit of the other person. Song of Songs‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ I liken you, my darling, to a mare among Pharaoh's chariot horses. Song of Songs‬ ‭1:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings, your neck with strings of jewels. Song of Songs‬ ‭1‬:‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ We will make you earrings of gold, studded with silver. Song of Songs‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ While the king was at his table, my perfume spread its fragrance. Song of Songs‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts. Song of Songs‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi. Song of Songs‬ ‭1‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes are doves. All of this intense pursuit and conversation back and forth creates the perfect scenario for explosive passion! Song of Songs‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ How handsome you are, my beloved! Oh, how charming! And our bed is verdant. Song of Songs‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ The beams of our house are cedars; our rafters are firs. Song of Songs‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. Song of Songs‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the young women. Song of Songs‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste. "The woman felt completely safe in Solomon's presence: "I sat down in his shade with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste" (Song 2: 3). She was entirely at ease with Solomon. She experienced no threatening or unsettling moments in his presence. The apostle Paul told us that a man should nourish and cherish his wife. (See Eph. 5: 29.) The woman experienced that in their premarital relationship. In his "shade," she was cherished. By his "fruit," she was nourished. And note: this must start before marriage. Never trust a future mate to do a turnaround after marriage." - Tommy Nelson, The Book of Romance: What Solomon Says About Love, Sex, and Intimacy What would happen in your relationship today if you were to use your words to make the other feel totally safe? Song of Songs‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Let him lead me to the banquet hall and let his banner over me be love. Song of Songs‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love. His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me. Song of Songs‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬ Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires. The same God who created a passion for marriage also created the power for restraint until it's time. 2 Timothy 1:7 NIV For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline. James‬ ‭4‬:‭4b-5 ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? James‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." James‬ ‭4‬:‭ 7‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ Grieve, mourn, and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. Father in Heaven, I know you are...