Rockport Baptist Church

Because Jesus is all-powerful Lord of all, we must bring our powerlessness to Him and trust in Him for the mighty works only He can do in vanquishing evil. I. We Must Face the Demons and Desperation in the Valley vv 14-16 II. We Must Face the Powerlessness of Unbelief in the Face of the Mighty Power of Jesus vv 17-18 III. We must Turn from Our Faulty Self-Focused Faith to a Full Trust in Christ Alone! vv 19-23

Because the glory of Christ cannot be understood apart from his suffering, death and resurrection, we must keep His suffering (and ours) in view as we follow Him. I. You Must Come Down the Mountain and Face the Suffering! v 9, Mk 9:10 II. There Are Hard Questions Only Jesus Can Answer! vv 10-11, (v 5b) III. We must listen to Jesus and Follow Him, even when it means following Him in Suffering! v 12-13

Because Christ is God the Son sent by the Father and revealed the Spirit, we must give Him our whole attention and follow Him faithfully as Lord and Savior. I. The Declaration by God the Father that this is His Son! v 5 II. The Fear that Fell Upon the Disciples Because of the Presence of God in His Glory v 6 III. The Mediator and the Comfort that Comes When Jesus Draws Near! . vv 7-8

Because Jesus has been confirmed as God the Son who shares in the Father's Glory and Deity, we can and must put all our trust in Him, giving Him our full allegiance as Saving Lord, no matter what happens. I. The Glory of Christ Revealed vv 1-2 II. The Glory of Christ Confirmed v 3 III. The Glory of Christ Proclaimed by God Himself vv 4-5

Jesus has a more excellent ministry than the Levitical priests because 1) he as a more excellent sacrifice, 2) a more excellent location, 3) a more excellent duration and 4) a more excellent intercession.

Because faith orients us to God and his future promises, we must understand that we cannot make our home here since we are pressing on to a better one in eternity! I. We Must Acknowledge that We Are Strangers here. v 13 II. We Must Live Our Lives as Those Who Are Seeking Our True Homeland! v 14-15 III. We Must orient our lives to God and press on with passion toward the home He's prepared for us! v 16

By Faith Isaac embraced God's Foundational Provision for his soul, which fueled his faith in God's ordinary plans for his life, and carried him through God's hard providences in the darkness. I. God's Foundational Provision - Moriah II. God's Ordinary Plans - Marriage III. God's hard Providence - Mess

By faith, Joseph rested in the providential judgement, purposes and goodness of God

Faith in God isn't about my ability, but rather about knowing and obeying God's Word, giving Him the glory, and being thankful for his patience towards us.

Most of us like happy stories, or at least stories with a happy ending. Jephthah's story is neither. Bracketed by lust and pride at the start and brutal judgment at the close, you could almost class it as a tragedy. Yet the misery of this story is bracketed by mercy as Jephthah rescues his people and serves as a signpost pointing us to the real hero of the story. Trusting in our Savior, we can adjust our expectation of his people and appreciate that faith does not need to be perfect to be real.

Like Abel, believers can offer to God a better sacrifice by acting in faith on what He has revealed, have God bear witness that they are righteous through offering to Him the sacrifice He has provided, and speak through their faith by entrusting themselves to Christ their sacrifice.

Because Jesus is the Son of Man who is coming in glory to judge each person's work, we must live today as His people who take up our cross and follow Him. I. The Third Reason to Take Up Your Cross – Because Jesus is Coming to Judge the Earth! vv 24-26 II. When Jesus Comes Back in Glory He will Judge Each of Our Lives. v 27 III. Some Standing There Will Not Taste Death until They See the King in His Glory v 28

Because we follow a Suffering Savior, we too must take up a cross like His and follow Him willingly into death if we wish to be His disciples. I. All Who Follow Christ Must Take Up the Cross v 24 II. Only Those Who Give All to Follow Christ Gain the Life He Gives! v 25 III. The Only Way to Keep Your Precious Soul is to Give it Away to Christ by Faith! v 26

Because being the Christ means that Jesus must suffer death and rise again, we must embrace and follow Him as suffering Savior before we can know Him as glorified King. I. The Necessity of Christ's Suffering to be Our Savior v 21 II. The Refusal to Believe that Christ Must Suffering! v 22 III. The Rebuke of Christ against the Satanic Suggestion that He Can Avoid Suffering v 23

Our world is very short on mercy these days. Cancel culture has grown like a weed and encouraged cutting off not only celebrities with whom we disagree but family and friends as well. Experts assure us this is both morally laudable and absolutely necessary for our mental health and happiness – yet it has made the world a friendless, merciless place. Sadly, the church has not been much different. We are quick to speak, quick to assume motives, quick to fixate on what the other person "ought to have known." In this passage, James warns us against such "judgment without mercy" and shows us a better way – the way of mercy. Choose mercy because love commends it, the law demands it, and you need it.

The First message is the series, "Transfiguration: Seeing Christ's Glory" begins by looking at Peter's Confession of Christ. Because we live in a world of opposition and spiritual confusion, we must come to a confident confession of who Jesus is by the gracious gift of God's Spirit through the Gospel. I. The Big Question You've Got to Answer is: Who is Jesus? vv 13-14 II. What is Your Answer to this Question? vv 15-16 III. The Grace-Given Revelation of the Truth of Who Jesus Is! v 17 (vv 18-19)

In this message we experience the thunder of God's holiness rumbling down from the Mountain of God's Law (Sinai), and then find the grace of God's mercy in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because God is fearsome in his holiness and His law cannot save, we must flee by faith to the Mediator He has provided in Jesus who leads us away from Sinai to the mountain of His grace. I. The Terror of the Law. vv 18-19a II. The Cry for a Mediator. vv 19-20 III. We Have a Better Mediator and a Better Mountain in Jesus. v 21; Heb 12:18-21

Because we know that God is faithful to provide all that we need, we must not allow our hearts to covet anything that belongs to another and instead strive to find our contentment in Christ alone. I. The Subtle Sin of Coveting Ex 20:17 II. As Human Beings We are Driven by Our Desires III. Only Christ by Faith Can Satisfy Your Heart, so it is Him you Must Go Php 4:11-13

The doctrine of election displays the character of a merciful, loving God and the nature of an amazing grace

Because Truth matters and God is a God of Truth, we who belong to Him must always speak the truth in love both to and about our neighbors for Christ's sake. I. God Commanded His Covenant People to Never Lie About Others Ex 20:16 II. God's People Must be Committed to Always Speak the Truth To and About Others Ex 4:25 III. Jesus Calls us to Use Our Words to Build Others Up, Not to Tear Them Down Eph 4:29

Because Christ is our Lord and the giver of all good things, we must not only reject the self-centered life of the thief, but must also embrace the self-giving generosity of Christ. I. God Commanded His Old Covenant People Israel Not to Steal from One Another! Ex 20:15 II. God is the One Who Gives What We Need to Glorify and Enjoy Him! Jas 1:17; 1 Tim 6:17; III. God Calls us as Christians to a Stewardship of Christ-like Generosity with our things Eph 4:28

Because marriage matters, we must guard our hearts, minds and lives against the devastating danger of adultery by cultivating a Christ-like love that values the good of marriage. I. Adultery is a Devastating Sin Because Marriage is a Vital Good Given by God. Ex 20:14; Heb 13:4 II. The Heart of the Matter is the Condition of Your Heart! Mt 5:27-28; III. Christian Obedience to God's Commands Flow from a Heart made new in Christ

The Sixth Commandment: Because every human life reflects God's image and is precious to Him, we must value each person as valuable and worthy of respect (something we can only do through the power of Christ's love given in the new birth). I. The Purpose of the Prohibition for Israel was to Protect the Value of Every Human Life Ex 20:13 1) The Law served Israel as a Fence 2) The Law served Israel as a Teacher II. The Deeper Truth of Creation Order that Proclaims the Value of Every Human Life! Gn 1:26; 9:6 III. The Grace We Need thru the Gospel that Brings a New Heart to Love God and Value Others Mt 5:21-22; Rm 13:8-10

Living the good life means rejecting the world's way of thinking and acting, including the partiality that comes to us so naturally. Showing special treatment to some and lesser treatment to others based on whom they seem to be displays a lack of love, a lack of sense, and a lack of faith. Put more bluntly, partiality is selfish, dumb, and worldly. In this passage, James helps us see that favoritism doesn't fit the Christian and shows us the hope that comes from looking past appearances to the powerful grace of God.

Because family matters and is central to God's purpose of bringing up godly children and securing the stability of society, we must train our children to honor their parents into old age and to do the same ourselves. I. Because Family Matters, the People of Israel were Commanded to Honor Father and Mother. Ex 20:12 II. Because Family Matters: We must forge a biblical culture that values and upholds parenthood III. Because Family Matters, Our Homes Must be Centers of Faith-filled Discipleship. Ex 6:1-4The sermon emphasizes the vital role of family in God's plan, drawing from Exodus 20 and Ephesians 6 to highlight the importance of honoring parents and fostering a faith-filled home. It asserts that healthy families are foundational for individual well-being, societal stability, and national flourishing, urging both children to obey and fathers to discipline with grace, ultimately pointing to Christ as the source of redemption and guidance for navigating the complexities of family life and resisting the destructive influences of a secular culture.

Because the Sabbath command was given as a sign of the old covenant that has been fulfilled with the coming of Christ, we must now rest our faith in Him, submitting the whole of our lives to His Lordship. I. The Law of the Sabbath Was Central to God's Old Covenant with the Nation of Israel Ex 20:8-11 (1) It was the Law of the Land (2) It was a Sign of the Covenant (3) It was a Test of their Faith II. The Sabbath Principle of Rest from Labor Points Us to the Goodness of God (1) The Gift of Work and Rest (2) The Grace of Compassion to Others (3) Our need to find rest in Christ by Faith III. We are no longer under the Law of the Sabbath because we have something far better in Christ! Col 2:16-17 (1) Jesus is the Substance of Salvation the OT Shadows like the Sabbath only pointed to! (2) We Keep Sabbath, not by resting on a Day, but by resting by faith in Christ! (3) In the New Covenant we don't have a Sabbath Day to keep, but a Lord's Day to Celebrate!

Turning from trust in yourself to trust in Yahweh brings His comprehensive holiness, and turning from your wisdom to the fear of Yahweh brings complete renewal.

Because God's Name represents Who He is and we are commanded to love God, we must love and honor His name, using it and wearing it with respect. I. Israel Was Commanded to Take God's Name Very Seriously in All They Did v 7 II. We must Take God's Name Very Seriously in the Way We Speak of Him! III. We Must Take Christ's Name Seriously in the Way We Wear It Before Others! 2 Tim 2:19b

Because every man-made image used in worship obscures God's glory and misrepresents him, his people are commanded to have no images in worship but instead to give their full attention to Him as He has revealed Himself in His Word and above all in Christ. I. The Second Commandment Prohibited Images of God Used in Worship vv 4-5a II. God is Zealous for His Glory, and Images Always Obscure His Glory v 5b III. God Warns of Dire Consequences for Those who Exchange His Glory for Images vv5b

In this message we see the principles for how to read, understand and apply Old Covenant Commands in the life and faith of a New Covenant Believer in Christ. From the First Command we learn that, because God alone is God and thus worthy of all worship and allegiance, we must submit to Him alone our full and unmixed loyalty, loving and obeying Him in all things. I. Read the Command in it's Original Old Testament Context vv 1-3 II. Consider What the Command Reveals about God that Never Changes Rm 15:4, etc III. Apply the Command in Light of the New Testament Fulfillment in Christ 1 Cor 8:4-6

Because God called Israel into covenant faithfulness under the old covenant through Moses, we must learn to see both the continuity and discontinuity in what he required of them as we seek to apply these same words as God's word in our lives under the new covenant in Christ. I. Covenant Context Matters II. The Old Covenant Context of the Ten Words vv 2-6III. The Purpose of God for Israel Under the Old Covenant vv 5-6

Because God gave the Ten Words to reveal Himself and His ways to them His people as part of the old covenant people, we in the new, though not under these commands as a law, still benefit from them as God's revelation of Himself and His ways.INT: It All Started with a Question. (Galatians flashback) I. God Spoke These Ten Words to Reveal Himself to His People. v 1II. God spoke These Ten Words in the Specific Context of His Covenant with Israel v 2

Because God is our almighty, saving God who has promised to keep His people to the end, we can and must trust Him and praise Him for His faithful goodness with extravagant joy.I. We Must Praise Him Because of Who He is and What He Does! v 24 1) He is able to keep you from stumbling 2) He is Able to Present You Blameless and Joyful in His Presence Forever! II. We Can Entrust Ourselves to Him Fully Because of Who He is! v 25 1) Who is this God trust? The only God our Savior 2) What does this great God abound with? Glory, Majesty, Dominion and Authority 3) What is the extent of His power and authority? All time and eternity 4) What is our response? Amen!

Because we have a Redeemer who lives, we have a hope that triumphs over all despairI. Sorrow and Suffering are realities we cannot avoid in this present life! vv 13-22; II. We Can Have Real Hope, no matter what is happening, because we have a Living Redeemer! vv 23-25III. There is Hope for You in the Promise of Your Own Coming Resurrection vv 26-27

Because God has given us a faith that keeps us in His love, we must keep keeping on in that faith, holding fast by the means of grace, even as we hold out to others the promise of redemption.I. Keep Yourselves in God's Love by Keeping Hold of Faith in Christ vv 20-21 (1) By building yourselves up in your most holy faith (2) By regularly praying in the Holy Spirit (3) By waiting in Hope for God's promised mercy CC: Keep Yourselves in the Love of GodII. Reach Out to Those Whose Faith Has Been Perverted by False Teaching vv 22-23 (1) To those limping along in doubt, show merc! (2) For those who are following false teachers into judgement, Go after them (3) To those in the midst of soul-killing sin, continue to hold our redemptive mercy

The 6th message from Grace Bible Conference 2025 "Biblical Counseling: Gospel Solutions for Life" by Nathan Currey. From the Sunday School hour "Living the Gospel with One Another"

The final message from Grace Bible Conference 2025 "Biblical Counseling: Gospel Solutions for Life" by Nathan Currey. "Grace Trained Lives"

The third message from Grace Bible Conference 2025 "Biblical Counseling: Gospel Solutions for Life" by Nathan Currey. "How We View the Heart"

The fourth message from Grace Bible Conference 2025 "Biblical Counseling: Gospel Solutions for Life" by Nathan Currey. "How We Engage the Heart"

The fifth message from Grace Bible Conference 2025 "Biblical Counseling: Gospel Solutions for Life" by Nathan Currey. "Common Heart Struggles"

The first message from Grace Bible Conference 2025 "Biblical Counseling: Gospel Solutions for Life" by Nathan Currey. "Every Christian is a Counselor"

The second message from Grace Bible Conference 2025 "Biblical Counseling: Gospel Solutions for Life" by Nathan Currey. "Gospel Solutions from Scripture"

The value of what we claim is seen in what we do. But, as in everything in life, the doing is in the details. As James continues pressing the idea of being a doer of the Word and not merely a hearer, he presses obedience into the specifics of our speech, our mercy, and our purity

Because we have been warned that false teachers will come and try to influence the church, we must be on our guard against them and able to identify and expel then when they try show up. I. Remember the Warnings Christ Gave You through His Apostles v 17 II. Beware of the Scoffers Who Seek to Influence the Church v 18 (1) When they will come? (2) What will they be like? (3) How will they live? III. Be Alert to the Impact Such People Have on a Church v 19 (1) They Bring Division (2) They Import Worldliness (3) They Are Unregenerate

Because Christ will return in power to judge the ungodly who continue to oppose him in word or deed, we must not give in to their teaching and must warn them and others that his promised judgement is coming so that all will flee to Christ by faith.I. Jude's Use of this Prophesy of Enoch Concerning Coming Judgement v 14aII. The Coming Judgement of Christ Against the Ungodly v 14b-15 1) It is the Lord Jesus Who is Coming in Power for Judgement 2) The Purpose of Christ's Coming Will be Judgment for the Ungodly! 3) The Ungodly will be judged for their God denying actions and Christ belittling words!III. Beware These Ungodly Sins that Bring God's Judgement v 16

Because false teachers mislead those who follow them and can even lead them to destruction, we must beware of them, refusing to tolerate them or their message within Christ's church.I. "Woe to Them!" A Warning We Must Take Seriously v 11aII. Beware of Them! Because Their Path Leads to Judgement v 11III. Don't Tolerate Them in the Church Because Their Presence Is a Danger to you! vv 12-13

Because God in grace has forgiven you and accepted you through faith in Christ alone and not on the basis of your own merits, you have a foundation for an everlasting joy. I. This Joy comes from the fact that we as Xns are now counted righteous in God's sight. v 6II. It Brings Us Joy to Understand as Believers that Our Sins Really are Forgiven vv 7-8; Ps 32III. Justification by Faith alone brings us the Joy of Fellowship with Christ and One Another Ps 32:7

Christians sometimes get nervous talking about obedience. Though we know we're saved by God's grace, we slip into thinking we are defined by our works. What we have done and left undone becomes the measure of our identity. James corrects this picture, showing that who we are does not flow from what we do; what we do flows from who we are. Doing what God says is how we confirm, express, and enjoy who we truly are.

Because those who look for authority within themselves to justify their sins live in opposition to God, we must refuse to follow them into the spiritual arrogance and folly that will destroy them.I. Those Who Are Spiritually Arrogance Look Within Themselves and Justify Their Sin v 8 (1) They Justify Their Sexual Immorality (2) They Reject Christ's Lordship (3) They Presume an Authority They Do Not HaveII. An Interesting Illustration of Spiritual Humility v 9III. The Spiritual Arrogance of Those Who Look to Themselves Brings Destruction v 10

Because we know God will judge all who persist in their sin and unbelief, we must be willing to heed his warnings and hold fast to Him in the faith and holiness which save. I. We need to be Reminded about God's Judgment v 5aII. Three Examples of God's Judgment that Serve as Warnings for Us vv 5b (1) Exodus: God's Judgment falls on would-be believers who do not continue in faith v 5b (2) Angels: God's Judgement falls on those who reject His creation order and go their own way v6 (3) Sodom: God's Judgement falls on those who persist in sexual immorality and perversion v 7

To become what we are, God's people need to understand who they are as God's holy temple, where God's Spirit dwells.