Sunday Messages

What mindset is necessary for intentional disciple-making?- Making Disciples Is a Pilgrimage (8-11), “…but now that you have come to know God…” (9)- Making Disciples Isn't Painless (12-16), “…you know it was because of the bodily ailment that I preached the Gospel to you at first…” (13)- Making Disciples Isn't Popular (17-20), “I am again suffering labor pains for you until Christ is formed in you..." (19)

Why was it necessary for God to save us from our “good works” as well as our sin?- God Sent His Son to Redeem Us (1-5), “God sent forth his Son…to redeem those who were under the law…” (4)- God Sent His Spirit to Adopt Us (6,7), “God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba Father!” (6)

We'll consider….- The Gravity of Prayer: To Commune with the Living God (14-16), “I bow my knee before the Father…according to the riches of his glory…” (14,16)- The Goal of Prayer: To be Conformed to Christ (16,17), “…he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts…” (16,17)

Faith alone in Christ alone unites the people of God to receive the promises of God.- An Unconditional Promise- (With) an Unwavering Protection- (Leads to) a Unified People of God

Why did God give the Law?- To Manifest Sin (10,11), “…For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse…" (15)- To Magnify Jesus (12-14a), “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us…” (13)- To Motivate Obedience (14), “the blessing of Abraham might come…so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith” (14)

When are we most vulnerable to falling away?= When we minimize the cross (v. 1)- When we mask the gospel (v. 2-4)- When we misplace our identity (v. 5-9)

Section 1: The Gospel is Real (Gal. 1:1-2:21)Section 2: The Gospel is Superior (Gal. 3:1-4:31)Section 3: The Gospel is Liberating (Gal.5:1-6:18)What doesn't save you?- You Weren't Saved by Advantage (15,16), “…we ourselves are Jews by birth ad not Gentile sinners…" (15)- You Weren't Saved by Rights (17-19), “…For through the law, I died to the law so that I might live to God…” (19)- You Weren't Saved by Works (20,21), “I am crucified with Christ…” (20)

How do we know we have the Holy Spirit?The Spirit's presence is confirmed in our lives as we experience…- New Life vs 12 …if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live- New Leading vs 14 …for all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.- New Liberty vs 15 …you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear- New Longing vs 23 …we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies- New Love vs 27 …the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God… those who love God.

How can we be sure of life beyond the grave?Five BIG Truths About the Resurrection- Jesus: The Eternal God…Became Man (Col.1:19).- Jesus: The Eternal God…Died for our Sins (1 Cor.15:3; Isa.53:6)- Jesus: The Eternal God…Rose Bodily from the Dead (Acts 1:3; Luke 24:38-43)- Jesus: Having Risen…Has All Authority in Heaven and Earth (Rom 6:9)- Jesus: Having Risen….Will Raise You Too! (Rom.8:11)

How is our spiritual vitality sustained? (How do we not fall asleep on the job?)- The Holy Spirit Sustains Us in Trouble (37,38), “…he began to be sorrowful and troubled…remain here and watch with me…” (37,38)- The Holy Spirit Sustains Us in Isolation (39-44), “…The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak…” (41)- The Holy Spirit Sustains Us in Betrayal (45,46), “…See, the hour is at hand, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners…” (45)

What are the unmistakable signs of the Holy Spirit's work?- Humility (13), “Then Jesus came to Galilee…He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire…” (13,14; c/f 2:11)- Submission (15), “…this is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness…” (15)- Favor (16,17), “…he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove coming to rest on Him…this is my beloved Son…” (16,17)

The Dangers of Legalism:- Legalism Damages Gospel Unity – Vs. 11-12- Legalism Develops Contagious Hypocrisy – Vs. 13- Legalism Distorts the Gospel – Vs. 14Application: Embrace the Transformational (not Transactional) heart of the Gospel where God is changing us from the inside out by the Power of His Spirit in us.- Embrace the Gospel of Grace- Walk in step with the Spirit

How can we embrace the real gospel for a life of true freedom and unity? - Affirm the Truth (Unity in Truth)- Break away from the Chains of Gospel+ (Legalism)- Consider the Poor (Unity in Diversity)God redeemed us to be united in our commitment to the same truth while carrying out our diverse callings to accomplish the same mission for Jesus. 

How do I know I am on God's side?A True Servant of Christ…- Proclaims a God-breathed gospel (v.11-15)- Prioritizes a God-given mission (v. 16-21)- Produces a God-glorifying disciple (v. 22-24)

How do we test our fidelity to the Gospel of grace?- The Purity Test (6,7), “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him…they want to distort the gospel of Christ.” (6,7)- The Popularity Test (8,9), “…even if an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” (9)- The People-Pleasing Test (10), “…If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ…” (10)

What motivates someone to walk in the gospel of grace?- Our Gospel Confession, “…through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead" (1)- Our Gospel Companions, “…and all the brothers who are with me…churches of Galatia” (2)- Our Gospel Commission, “…who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from this present evil age…” (3-5)

What's so important about the Church and why is it powerful?- Confession of the Christ (16:13-16)- Keys of the Kingdom (16:17-20)- Power of Prayer & Presence (18:18-20)

Why does Jesus bring his peace to our lives?- Jesus' Assignment: To Deliver the Lost (10-15), “…he shall speak peace to the nations, his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth…” (10)- Jesus' Aim: To Display God's Glory (16-17), “…On that day the Lord their God will save them…for how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty…” (16,17)

What does the Bible say about the Devil?- Who is he? (1 Peter 5:8; Eph. 2:2)- What does he do? (2 Cor. 4:4; 2 Cor. 11:3)- How will he be defeated? (1 John 3:8; Heb. 2:14)

Is God ok with our pride?- God Opposes the Proud (1-8), “…Behold, the Lord will strip her of her possessions and strike down her power on the sea, and she shall be devoured by fire…I will cut off the pride of Philistia…” (4,6)- God Gives Grace to the Humble (9; Jam. 4:10), “…your King is coming to you…humble and mounted on a donkey; Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you” (9; Jam. 4:10)

How does God use our waiting?- God Trains You in the Waiting (1-17), “Thus says the Lord of Hosts, I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy…” (2,4,6,9,11)- God Transforms You in the Waiting (18-23), “…The fast…shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts. Therefore, love truth and peace” (19)

Is your heart in it?- When the Heart is Wrong, the Worship is Wrong (1-7), “…when you fasted and mourned…was it for me that you fasted?…” (5)- When the Heart is Right, the Worship is Right (7-14), “…but they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder…stopped their ears and they made their hearts diamond hard…” (11,12a)

How can we stay anchored to truth in a world full of distraction and deconstruction?- Be Humbled by the Generosity of the Gospel vs1-3…such a great salvation…was declared.- Be Convinced of the Exclusivity of the Gospel vs1, 3…what we have heard…lest we drift away from it…how shall we escape?- Be Confident in the Reliability of the Gospel vs 2-4…declared by the Lord…attested by those who heard…God also bore witness.

Big Idea: Jesus is coming soon.v. 12-13 - What will Jesus do at his second coming?v. 14-15 - Would I be ready if Jesus came back today?v. 16-18 - Do I long for Jesus' second coming?

How do we intensify our joy in Jesus this Christmas?     - As We Encounter the Condemned King, “Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns…'Behold the Man'” (v.5)-    As We Embrace the Crucified King (14-22), “Behold your King…they cried out, “Crucify him!…The King of the Jews” (14,15,21) 

How do we intensify our love for God?- As We Tremble (8,9), “…keeping watch…they were filled with fear…” (9)- As We Trust (10-16), “Let us go to Bethlehem…the Lord has made known to us…” (15)- As We Treasure (17-20), ”…and when they saw it…they made known the saying that had been told them…” (17)

How can you and I experience God's peace in this age of anxiety?- We Are A Satisfied People (21-27, Simeon's Secret), “…It was revealed to him …that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ…” (26)- We Are A Singing People (28-35, Simeon's Song), “…Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace…” (29)

How can we find hope when our lives are so broken?- The Hope God Gives is Supernatural (18), “…she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit” (18)- The Hope God Gives is Personal (19-21), “…Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife…” (20)- The Hope God Gives is Invitational (22-23), “…and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us)…” (23)

Is saying, “God's got this” enough?- Essential Truth #1: God uses all things to accomplish his purposes.- Essential Truth #2: God unveils his purposes to awaken our obedience.. -Obeying God's commands keep us from being idle in our relationship with him.. -Obeying God's commands keep us from being rebellious in our relationship with him.. -Obeying God's commands keep us from being fake in our relationship with him.Response: Live in covenant relationship with God by obeying his voice.

When will sin finally be defeated?A. The Message (5-8), “…This is their iniquity in all the land…” (6)- Sin is a really big problem- Only God can destroy its power!B. The Meaning (9-11), “…they lifted up the basket between heaven and earth…to the land of Shinar…” (9,11)- God will first constrain it…then defeat it…then remove it- The “way of judgment” or the “way of grace” – what will you choose?

How do I know if my testimony is true?- Test # 1: You are Gripped by the Greatness of God (5), “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (5)- Test # 2: You Grapple With the Guile of Your Sin (6,8,10), “…if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness…we lie…” (6)- Test # 3: You Gladly Give Up Your Rights (9), “if we confess our sins…” (9)

What measurement does God use for judgment?The Message (1,2), “A flying scroll…length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits” (2)-The exact dimensions of the holy place, tabernacle-Two commandments seen…3rd and the 8th…The Meaning (3,4), “I will send out…and it shall enter the house of him who swears falsely by my name…consume it…” (4)What is the measure of God's judgment?God's perfect law (Gal.3:10-11)--How do we escape His perfect standard?God's perfect judgement--Should terrify those who don't know Him (c/f Rev.1:8; 2 Pet.3:1-10)--Should humble those who love Him (Zech.1:15; 2 Thes.1:5-10)--Should cause us to gaze again on the cross (1 Pet.2:24)

Finding Hope when our Sin seems Unforgivable:Receive His Forgiveness for your Past – Zechariah 3:1-5Respond Obediently in the Present – Zechariah 3:6-7Rest in His Future Coming– Zechariah 3:8-10- My Servant: Suffering Savior – Isaiah 53- The Branch: Davidic King – Jeremiah 33- The Stone: High Priest – Isaiah 28Big Idea: Your Sin has not Derailed God's Plans

Does God have a master plan for our ‘chaotic' world?The Message (1-5), “And I will be to her a wall of fire all around…and I will be the glory in her midst……” (5)*You won't need a wall!*God has an unexpected planThe Meaning (6-13), “…Up! Up!...I will shake my hand…many nations will join themselves to the Lord…” (6,9,11)*3 Oracles and 3 takeaways--God's people have focused allegiances! “Get out of ‘Babylon” (6-8)--God's people rejoice in God's work – mixture of judgment and mercy (9,10)--God's people worship and work (11-13)

The Strength of the World (Horns) - Causes Despair - Combats Godly Hope…These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem…These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head.The Sovereign Hand of God (Craftsman) - Restrains wickedness - Raises Hope…Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen… And these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.The oppression of the world cannot overcome the omnipotence of God!

Meaning “Yahweh remembers,” Zechariah's name was appropriate to the purpose of his prophecies. His words brim over with redemptive hope: that God would remember and recover his promises to his people, even after the judgment of 70 years of Babylonian captivity. Through the sharing of eight visions and four messages, Zechariah encourages the people to anticipate and execute the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple. But ultimately the book points to the future sign of the Messiah – through whom God would not only save his people, Israel – but through whom God would save the world.This weekend we'll continue the start of our journey into this fascinating book which is filled with spiritual imagination. But the message, although hopeful, begins with an invitation and warning to not forsake the Lord. Join us this weekend as we unpack Zechariah Chapter 1 in a message "Down But Not Out".

Meaning “Yahweh remembers,” Zechariah's name was appropriate to the purpose of his prophecies. His words brim over with redemptive hope: that God would remember and recover his promises to his people, even after the judgment of 70 years of Babylonian captivity. Through the sharing of eight visions and four messages, Zechariah encourages the people to anticipate and execute the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple. But ultimately the book points to the future sign of the Messiah – through whom God would not only save his people, Israel – but through whom God would save the world.