Listen to the sermons as a podcast
Watch Services on YouTube
Series: Summer Study of Songs
Text: Psalm 32
Theme: Understanding confession of sin
7 Reasons to Confess Your Sin
One: Confession leads to the joy of forgiveness.
Two: Confession ends the heaviness of guilt.
Three: Confession demands agreement with God.
Four: Confession secures us in the mercy of God.
Five: Confession embraces instruction in righteousness.
Six: Confession believes the truth about God.
Seven: Confession leads to the joy of forgiveness.
Blessed is the one whose transgression is covered... ~ Psalm 32:1
Series: Summer Study of Songs
Text: Psalm 61
Theme: From weakness to worship: moving toward security.
How do we understand a "rock that is higher than I" am?
One: A longing created by my weakness.
Two: A faith strengthened by biblical illustrations.
Three: A need met by God's [faithfulness|promises].
Four: A prayer answered in the Messiah.
Five: A worship motivated by God's name.
So will I ever sing praises to your name... ~ Psalm 61:8
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 5:12-14
Theme: Know what grace is, and stand firm in it.
One: This is true grace. The story includes:
- The mercy of God
- A sufficient Savior
- The new birth
- A sure inheritance
- The testing of your faith
- A call to holiness
- A testimony of faith
- Times of suffering
- The hope of glory
Two: Stand firm in it. With the grace of...
- Faithful brothers
- Divine revelation
- God's love
- Obvious hostility
- Abiding peace
...this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. ~ 1 Peter 5:12
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 5:8-11
Theme: Pilgrims must be ready to resist the enemy.
One: Be aware of your enemy.
- He is deceitful and dangerous.
Two: Be anchored in your faith.
- My trust in God's truth.
Three: Be encouraged by God's people.
- I am part of God's advancing Kingdom.
Four: Be certain of God's promises.
- Be certain of God's time, grace, calling, and purpose.
Five: Be mindful of God's power.
- God is able to control all things.
Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion... ~ 1 Peter 5:8
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 5:5-7
Theme: As a follower of Christ, you should live in evident humility.
5 Questions to Evaluate My Humility
One: Do I struggle with submission?
- Solution: Submit to God-given authority.
Two: Do I overlook others needs?
- Solution: Look for opportunities to serve.
Three: Do I forget about daily grace?
- Solution: Recognize your need for grace.
Four: Do I have a small view of God?
- Solution: Rediscover the sovereignty of God.
Five: Do I hold on to worry?
- Solution: Trust God with your problems.
Humble yourselves...casting all your anxieties on him... ~ 1 Peter 5:6-7
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 5:1-4
Theme: Shepherds must humbly care for harassed sheep.
One: Be willing to learn.
- About unity
- About identity
- About worship
Two: "You are a shepherd!"
- Shepherds lead, feed, and protect.
- Shepherds oversee.
Three: Avoid small, selfish thinking.
- It's not just a job; it's a desire.
- It's not for what you can get, but what you can give.
- It's not about being elite, but being an example.
Four: Be confident of glory.
shepherd the flock of God... ~ 1 Peter 5:2
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 4:12-19
Theme: As a pilgrim, you must face hostility with confidence in God's will.
One: Don't be surprised by hostility.
- It is not unusual.
- It will test your faith.
Two: Find the joy in hostility.
- Suffering leads to glory.
- You have the power and presence of God's Spirit.
Three: Identify the cause of hostility.
- The cause must not be your sin.
- The cause should be your identity with Christ.
Four: Speak for Christ in hostility.
- Do not be ashamed of Christ.
- Give the right opinion of Christ.
Five: Trust God's purpose for hostility.
- Rest in God's character.
- Do what is right.
entrust your souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. ~ 1 Peter 4:19
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 4:7-11
Theme: As pilgrims, we are all in this together.
How do I contribute to the pilgrim community?
One: Focus in prayer.
Two: Love through forgiveness.
Three: Share with joy.
Four: Serve as stewards.
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 4:1-6
Theme: Don't give in to the pressures of worldliness.
One: It may seem like a war...because it is!
Two: A renewed mind is an essential weapon.
Three: Sin no longer has power over you.
Four: Desire for God will drown out sinful desires.
Five: Those who think holiness is a joke will stand before the judge who does not.
Six: The gospel has power to transform sinners.
...live for the rest of your time...for the will of God. ~ 1 Peter 4:2
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 3:18-22
Theme: Though you may suffer for doing good, Christ will lead you safely home.
3 Reflections to Understand the Theme:
One: The purpose of Christ
- To bring us to God
- By his...
- Substitutionary life
- Substitutionary death
- Substitutionary resurrection
Two: The Illustration of Noah
- Righteous minority
- Hostile surroundings
- Gospel hope
- Sure salvation
Three: The _ of Baptism
- 3 phrases emphasize faith:
- "Corresponds to"
- "not as"
- "but as"
- Baptism proclaims our union with Christ
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 3:13-17
Theme: Opposition to your pilgrim faith cannot, and therefore must not, diminish your pilgrim faith.
7 Implications of Christ's Victory for Our Times of Oppression
One: You are zealous for good.
Two: You are blessed by God.
Three: You choose allegiance to Christ.
Four: You are known for hope.
Five: You have a clear conscience.
Six: Your righteousness will be vindicated.
Seven: You trust in God's providence.
In your hearts, honor Christ the Lord as holy. ~ 1 Peter 3:15
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 3:8-12
Theme: As a follower of Jesus Christ, you must be a nice person.
One: What does it mean to be a nice person?
- Offer some refuge. (Meaning, you must be like-minded; sympathetic; loving; compassionate; humble-minded)
- Respond with grace.
- Guard your words.
- Choose the right.
- Work at peace.
Two: Why should you be a nice person?
- Because you have the Holy Spirit.
- Because you have been called.
- Because you will be blessed.
- Because you have been saved.
Honor everyone. ~ 1 Peter 2:17
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 3:1-7
Theme: Following Jesus must shape your approach to marriage.
One: Instructions for the wife:
- Submit...as a way of life.
- Submit...from the inside out.
- Submit...as an act of faith.
- *Hope: the beauty of godliness may be instrumental in drawing an unbeliever to faith in Christ.
Two: Instructions for the husband:
- Demonstrate love that is tailored by knowledge.
- Demonstrate strength that is expressed in honor.
- Demonstrate commitment that is anchored in grace.
- *Warning: When you lose your way as a husband, you lose your hearing with God.
Wives, be subject to your own husbands...husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way... ~ 1 Peter 3:1-7
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 2:18-25
Theme: We must endure unjust suffering.
One: The command for a specific context.
- Servants, submit to your masters...
- ...even the unjust ones.
Two: The principle for broad application.
- Note the broadening: from "servant" to "anyone"
- Note the principle: endure unjust suffering
Three: How do we do this? It's difficult!
- Trust in God's sovereignty.
- Follow Christ's example.
- Live in resurrection power.
- Rest in Christ's care.
This is a gracious thing, when mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. ~ 1 Peter 2:19
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 2:13-17
Theme: We must submit to government.
Be subject ... to every human institution...
One: ...with an understanding of God's will.
- Be known as those who do good.
- Obey for the Lord's sake.
Two: ...with an understanding of true freedom.
- Not free to do evil.
- Not free from authority.
- But free to serve God.
Three: ...with an understanding of Christian living.
- Honor everyone.
- Love other believers.
- Fear God.
- Honor elected officials.
Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution... ~ 1 Peter 2:13
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 2:11-12
Theme: Your righteous living is a witness to the watching world.
The Witness of Your Works...
One: ...flows from your identity with Christ.
- Anchored in love
- Call to be different
Two: ...calls for a war with sin.
- Sin's plan to ruin
- God's plan to stand
Three: ...points to the beauty of goodness.
Four: ...argues against the accusations of evil.
Five: ...longs for the visit of God.
- In judgment
- In mercy
Series: Passing Through
Text: 1 Peter 2:4-10
Theme: You must build your life and identity on Jesus Christ.
5 Benefits of My Union with Christ
One: Belonging to God's people.
Two: Worship through God's Son.
- Access to God
- Acceptance by God
Three: Confidence in God's faithfulness.
- Certainty of the stone
- Certainty of my standing
Four: Purpose from God's choosing.
- A life of purpose
- A message of hope
Five: Wonder at God's mercy.
...as you come to him...you are being built up... ~ 1 Peter 2:4