The Heights Baptist Church

My message today is about the most unappreciated person to ever walk this earth: Jesus Christ. We continue answering our “What Is?’ questions. Today is the second of four messages answering, 'What is God the Son?' Last week we looked at His death and resurrection, next week pre-existence and the prophecies pointing to His life. Today we look at the humanity and deity of Jesus. The Scripture teaches that Jesus Christ is the very unique God-man. He is 100% God and 100% man.

Happy Resurrection Day and let me add my welcome to The Heights! It is so wonderful to celebrate our resurrected Lord and Savior together. Today arrives in the middle of a long series we are doing at The Heights called What is? We are answering questions like what is God, what is the Bible, what is heaven, what is Israel, what is sin, what is salvation? We want to deepen our faith, our understanding of who God is, what He is like, and what He is doing because we live in a world deep in problems and suffering. A shallow faith can’t navigate this. Today we ask the question, “What is God the Son?” Today is the first of four messages answering this question starting with His death and resurrection. That might sound like we are starting at the end of the story, but it is the beginning understanding why Jesus came to us.

God loves you. What a precious and simple truth. And there are many other wonderful and simple truths to know about God. But God is not simple. There are truths about who He is and how He works that is just beyond our ability to grasp. And that’s okay. Wouldn’t He be really limited if He could only be and do what fits in our understanding. I need a God bigger than my understanding. And indeed, He is. We have seen that God is infinite: infinite in His power, His wisdom, His existence. So, logically, an infinite God is going to do and be things that do not always fit into a finite mind. The Trinity is one of those things. My goal today is not to give you the simple way to understand the Trinity but simply make it clear this is how God reveals Himself.

Today we come to our second message on What is God the Holy Spirit? First, we looked at who the Holy Spirit is and what He does. Next week on Palm Sunday we will look at What is the Trinity? If you are new to our church we are spending a lot of this year walking through doctrine, beliefs. We are learning to think about God, to deepen our faith because it is a deep world of problems and suffering. We can’t navigate that with a shallow faith. So, our second message on the Holy Spirit brings us to the topic of gifts of the Spirit and fruit of the Spirit, and I hope you leave with this: The Holy Spirit has gifted you and will produce in you a life that blesses and serves others. Both the gifts and the fruit are about others. Let’s read 1 Corinthians 12:4-12.

Today we come to our second message on What is God the Holy Spirit? First, we looked at who the Holy Spirit is and what He does. Next week on Palm Sunday we will look at What is the Trinity? If you are new to our church we are spending a lot of this year walking through doctrine, beliefs. We are learning to think about God, to deepen our faith because it is a deep world of problems and suffering. We can’t navigate that with a shallow faith. So, our second message on the Holy Spirit brings us to the topic of gifts of the Spirit and fruit of the Spirit, and I hope you leave with this: The Holy Spirit has gifted you and will produce in you a life that blesses and serves others. Both the gifts and the fruit are about others. Let’s read 1 Corinthians 12:4-12.

Names and faces are important. And we do run to them. We have names that we run to. What name comes to your mind when you have good news? Who do you want to share that with first? What about when you are angry? You’ve been wronged. You want to process. When you’re alone, what name comes to mind that you want to call or text? When you’re in trouble, what’s the name you need? When you just need help, what name? Is it all the same name, several names? Is the name Jesus on the list? Even we who run to the name of the Lord, can run to other names first.

Names and faces are important. And we do run to them. We have names that we run to. What name comes to your mind when you have good news? Who do you want to share that with first? What about when you are angry? You’ve been wronged. You want to process. When you’re alone, what name comes to mind that you want to call or text? When you’re in trouble, what’s the name you need? When you just need help, what name? Is it all the same name, several names? Is the name Jesus on the list? Even we who run to the name of the Lord, can run to other names first.

The tithe is giving 10% of your income, the product of Your work, to the Lord and His work. Contributions are anything beyond the 10%. This is often referred to as a gift, but it’s not a gift. It is His and that is why He uses the word 'rob' when we do not give those tithes and offerings. It is not robbing someone to not give them a gift. Robbing is when we take what is theirs. 100% of what we have is from God and belongs to God, and we give the tithe as evidence of our understanding of this. We are stewards of what He has given. A steward is a manager of the owner’s stuff for the owner’s purposes. Now with that as a background listen to Jesus. referring to the tithe, the 10%. And again, notice, Jesus says that it is His. Now when God calls for us not to rob Him, His goal is not getting money. His goal is blessing. Show that you understand everything is from Him, show that you respect that as the owner He can call for the tithe, show that your faith is in Him, not money.

The tithe is giving 10% of your income, the product of Your work, to the Lord and His work. Contributions are anything beyond the 10%. This is often referred to as a gift, but it’s not a gift. It is His and that is why He uses the word 'rob' when we do not give those tithes and offerings. It is not robbing someone to not give them a gift. Robbing is when we take what is theirs. 100% of what we have is from God and belongs to God, and we give the tithe as evidence of our understanding of this. We are stewards of what He has given. A steward is a manager of the owner’s stuff for the owner’s purposes. Now with that as a background listen to Jesus. referring to the tithe, the 10%. And again, notice, Jesus says that it is His. Now when God calls for us not to rob Him, His goal is not getting money. His goal is blessing. Show that you understand everything is from Him, show that you respect that as the owner He can call for the tithe, show that your faith is in Him, not money.

We have not always done a good job with the Holy Spirit, maybe even tended to ignore Him. Some of that might be the difficulty of understanding the Trinity; and even in that the Father and Son are more concrete images to us, but not as sure what the Spirit is. We just tend to be more unfamiliar with the third person of the Trinity. That is a shame. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be our Helper. The help Christ has for us today in living the Christian life in this world is the Holy Spirit. We’d do well to not ignore Jesus’ help.

We have not always done a good job with the Holy Spirit, maybe even tended to ignore Him. Some of that might be the difficulty of understanding the Trinity; and even in that the Father and Son are more concrete images to us, but not as sure what the Spirit is. We just tend to be more unfamiliar with the third person of the Trinity. That is a shame. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be our Helper. The help Christ has for us today in living the Christian life in this world is the Holy Spirit. We’d do well to not ignore Jesus’ help.

There is a common idea in history, in humanity that we are all seeking the same God. We have different names, different ways of getting to this God; but in the end we are going to find out we were all working toward the same God. It is a polite and tolerant idea. It is just not true. The person who affirms this idea knows very little of the god they follow or that others follow. He is God the Father, a title that implies a relationship with a son or daughter. God reveals Himself as the Father of Jesus in 1 Peter 1:3. That is not the God of the Hindus, Muslims, and it is the God the Jews are currently rejecting.

There is a common idea in history, in humanity that we are all seeking the same God. We have different names, different ways of getting to this God; but in the end we are going to find out we were all working toward the same God. It is a polite and tolerant idea. It is just not true. The person who affirms this idea knows very little of the god they follow or that others follow. He is God the Father, a title that implies a relationship with a son or daughter. God reveals Himself as the Father of Jesus in 1 Peter 1:3. That is not the God of the Hindus, Muslims, and it is the God the Jews are currently rejecting.

Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised! - Psalm 113:2-3 ESV The gospel is not merely what God gives, but God Himself. Through His revealed names, God shows that He is the One who meets our deepest need by drawing us into covenant relationship with Himself.

Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised! - Psalm 113:2-3 ESV The gospel is not merely what God gives, but God Himself. Through His revealed names, God shows that He is the One who meets our deepest need by drawing us into covenant relationship with Himself.

God’s call has never been about how impressive we are. It has always been about His grace at work through ordinary, willing people.

God’s call has never been about how impressive we are. It has always been about His grace at work through ordinary, willing people.

Today our 'what is question' is, 'What is God Like?' We are looking at His attributes. We will use the Bible to answer these questions. We have established its authority and trustworthiness. This book originated from God’s mouth. He gave us the Bible so we could know Him. Man did not research and find God; but rather God revealed Himself through the living word, Jesus, and the written word, the Bible. We will never know everything about God, even in heaven, for we will always be finite, and He will always be infinite. But He has revealed Himself so that we could know Him and bring glory to Him. That is our highest good and where our greatest happiness is found. Let’s get started in seeing what we can understand about what God is like.

Today our 'what is question' is, 'What is God Like?' We are looking at His attributes. We will use the Bible to answer these questions. We have established its authority and trustworthiness. This book originated from God’s mouth. He gave us the Bible so we could know Him. Man did not research and find God; but rather God revealed Himself through the living word, Jesus, and the written word, the Bible. We will never know everything about God, even in heaven, for we will always be finite, and He will always be infinite. But He has revealed Himself so that we could know Him and bring glory to Him. That is our highest good and where our greatest happiness is found. Let’s get started in seeing what we can understand about what God is like.

For so many in our world today, the Bible is not valid for proving anything. People are quick to dismiss the Scripture even though It has NEVER been disproven scientifically, historically, archaeologically, or spiritually. Disagreeing with it, doesn’t prove it wrong. There were times in history when people said, 'We have no record of that king or that city the Bible refers to', so the Bible is wrong, not accurate history, but archaeology in the 1900s boomed and began to validate everything the Bible said. Last week we looked at the necessity, the biblical mandate for our study in theology. Everything I am going to be teaching in this series has as its source the Bible. So, let’s ask first, 'What is the Bible?' If the Bible is not trustworthy we can’t be sure of anything in theology. I am going to say that the Bible is completely trustworthy and fully sufficient for faith and life because it is incomparable, inspired and inerrant.

For so many in our world today, the Bible is not valid for proving anything. People are quick to dismiss the Scripture even though It has NEVER been disproven scientifically, historically, archaeologically, or spiritually. Disagreeing with it, doesn’t prove it wrong. There were times in history when people said, 'We have no record of that king or that city the Bible refers to', so the Bible is wrong, not accurate history, but archaeology in the 1900s boomed and began to validate everything the Bible said. Last week we looked at the necessity, the biblical mandate for our study in theology. Everything I am going to be teaching in this series has as its source the Bible. So, let’s ask first, 'What is the Bible?' If the Bible is not trustworthy we can’t be sure of anything in theology. I am going to say that the Bible is completely trustworthy and fully sufficient for faith and life because it is incomparable, inspired and inerrant.

When you hear the word theology, what comes to your mind? Is it something done in the halls of academics, the discussions of people not living in the real world? Last week we learned that the word theology is made up of two words in the Greek: theos and logos. Theos means God and logos means words, content, ideas. So theology is words, contents and ideas about God; and everyone has thoughts on and about God. And those thoughts, right, wrong, vague will shape our view and understanding of God, ourselves, life, relationships, everything.

When you hear the word theology, what comes to your mind? Is it something done in the halls of academics, the discussions of people not living in the real world? Last week we learned that the word theology is made up of two words in the Greek: theos and logos. Theos means God and logos means words, content, ideas. So theology is words, contents and ideas about God; and everyone has thoughts on and about God. And those thoughts, right, wrong, vague will shape our view and understanding of God, ourselves, life, relationships, everything.

Today we begin a long series on theology, on doctrine. I am calling it What is as I will be looking at what the Bible teaches us about what is the Bible, what is God, what is Jesus, what is the Holy Spirit, what is Satan, what are angels, what is the Church, what is salvation, what is eternal security, what is the great commandment and the great commission, what is man, what is sin, what is Israel, what is going to happen when Jesus returns, what is heaven, and more.

Today we begin a long series on theology, on doctrine. I am calling it What is as I will be looking at what the Bible teaches us about what is the Bible, what is God, what is Jesus, what is the Holy Spirit, what is Satan, what are angels, what is the Church, what is salvation, what is eternal security, what is the great commandment and the great commission, what is man, what is sin, what is Israel, what is going to happen when Jesus returns, what is heaven, and more.

We are starting off our 21 Days of Prayer today. Dr. Hahn shares about our vision and prayer needs, and leads us in the Lord's Supper. The full service is available in our app and online.

We are starting off our 21 Days of Prayer today. Dr. Hahn shares about our vision and prayer needs, and leads us in the Lord's Supper. The full service is available in our app and online.

I believe that the tradition of New Year’s resolutions has, at its foundation, a good cause. A new year means a fresh start. And boy, do we need fresh starts sometimes. What does the Lord really want from you? Is it Worship? Sacrifice? Offerings? Turn with me in your Bibles, to the Old Testament book of Micah. (about 30-40 pages from the end of the OT). We will begin reading in chapter 6: 6-8.

I believe that the tradition of New Year’s resolutions has, at its foundation, a good cause. A new year means a fresh start. And boy, do we need fresh starts sometimes. What does the Lord really want from you? Is it Worship? Sacrifice? Offerings? Turn with me in your Bibles, to the Old Testament book of Micah. (about 30-40 pages from the end of the OT). We will begin reading in chapter 6: 6-8.

Who is that baby in the manger? Who is that that baby born of a virgin? Who is that baby for whom 10,000 times 10,000 angels would fill the sky to sing and worship? Who is this baby for whom the blue-collar workers would come running? Who is this baby for whom the intellects and the elite would come and bow down. Who is this baby for whom the government would tremble? Who is this baby that would be called the Son of God? Oh, He's Jesus. He's God's gift for you. God's perfect gift for you. All that He is, all that is in Him is God's gift for you.

Who is that baby in the manger? Who is that that baby born of a virgin? Who is that baby for whom 10,000 times 10,000 angels would fill the sky to sing and worship? Who is this baby for whom the blue-collar workers would come running? Who is this baby for whom the intellects and the elite would come and bow down. Who is this baby for whom the government would tremble? Who is this baby that would be called the Son of God? Oh, He's Jesus. He's God's gift for you. God's perfect gift for you. All that He is, all that is in Him is God's gift for you.

Here we are, the 4th Sunday of Advent. Christmas just 4 days away. It’s been a good month of preparing to celebrate the first advent of our Lord and in that being more prepared for the second Advent of our Lord because Jesus is coming back. We have a certain hope in that and we feed that hope, prepare to celebrate it by daily being in God’s word. We are recipients of peace, and we prepare for Christmas by being people of peace, sharing it, living it. And we have talked about preparing a joy that is in obeying God rather than ourselves, to find joy in what our Savior found joy. And today we come to the fourth word of Advent, love. What does love mean, what does it do?

Here we are, the 4th Sunday of Advent. Christmas just 4 days away. It’s been a good month of preparing to celebrate the first advent of our Lord and in that being more prepared for the second Advent of our Lord because Jesus is coming back. We have a certain hope in that and we feed that hope, prepare to celebrate it by daily being in God’s word. We are recipients of peace, and we prepare for Christmas by being people of peace, sharing it, living it. And we have talked about preparing a joy that is in obeying God rather than ourselves, to find joy in what our Savior found joy. And today we come to the fourth word of Advent, love. What does love mean, what does it do?

The biggest impact of celebrating the first coming of Jesus should be our readiness for His Second Coming. Have you ever thought of Christmas that way? We’ve looked at hope and said we need to encourage that sure hope with reading our Bible daily. We have looked at peace and said we need to be a people always working at peace as that is a purpose of Christmas. And today we look at joy. Hope, peace, joy are words that adorn our Christmas cards, Christmas songs, and Christmas messages. Important words we can give little thought to. God has for us in Christmas a deeper joy, an eternal joy, but it is maybe a joy that requires the biggest course correction in our lives. Christmas is Jesus coming to this world and showing us life. In Him we learn what joy is.

The biggest impact of celebrating the first coming of Jesus should be our readiness for His Second Coming. Have you ever thought of Christmas that way? We’ve looked at hope and said we need to encourage that sure hope with reading our Bible daily. We have looked at peace and said we need to be a people always working at peace as that is a purpose of Christmas. And today we look at joy. Hope, peace, joy are words that adorn our Christmas cards, Christmas songs, and Christmas messages. Important words we can give little thought to. God has for us in Christmas a deeper joy, an eternal joy, but it is maybe a joy that requires the biggest course correction in our lives. Christmas is Jesus coming to this world and showing us life. In Him we learn what joy is.

Last week we learned that Advent has been around for over 1500 years and most of that time the focus of Advent, of preparing for Christmas was repentance and fasting. We’re thinking about preparing for Christmas in a way that God says, 'You’re prepared', and that is a place of great richness, strength, and joy. Last week we looked at hope in the sermon and then the devotional took you to 5 more places to think on hope and then a day 6 and 7 to repenting and fasting. Today we look at peace in our sermon, and the devotional will take us to 5 more days of thoughts on peace, and then repentance and fasting. So, there is a rhythm.

Last week we learned that Advent has been around for over 1500 years and most of that time the focus of Advent, of preparing for Christmas was repentance and fasting. We’re thinking about preparing for Christmas in a way that God says, 'You’re prepared', and that is a place of great richness, strength, and joy. Last week we looked at hope in the sermon and then the devotional took you to 5 more places to think on hope and then a day 6 and 7 to repenting and fasting. Today we look at peace in our sermon, and the devotional will take us to 5 more days of thoughts on peace, and then repentance and fasting. So, there is a rhythm.

Are you ready for Christmas? We ask each other about our readiness for lots of things: vacation, a new job, start of school; but that all pales in comparison to how we inquire of each other’s readiness for Christmas. We ask strangers if they are ready for Christmas! What are we asking about? Cooking and shopping, maybe travel plans, or parties to prepare. Church! Don’t forget that Christmas Eve service. With the time, money and energy we give to preparing, seems appropriate to ask, 'Does God think we are prepared?'

Are you ready for Christmas? We ask each other about our readiness for lots of things: vacation, a new job, start of school; but that all pales in comparison to how we inquire of each other’s readiness for Christmas. We ask strangers if they are ready for Christmas! What are we asking about? Cooking and shopping, maybe travel plans, or parties to prepare. Church! Don’t forget that Christmas Eve service. With the time, money and energy we give to preparing, seems appropriate to ask, 'Does God think we are prepared?'

As we have taken time to think about God’s good in our lives, there is no greater good than the gift of His Son, a gift He gave because He loved. Not because we were owed. Not because we were pretty good at heart. Not even because we had asked. He sent His Son as gift because He loved. And it was Jesus’ love for His Father, His love for You and me that brought Him to the cross.

As we have taken time to think about God’s good in our lives, there is no greater good than the gift of His Son, a gift He gave because He loved. Not because we were owed. Not because we were pretty good at heart. Not even because we had asked. He sent His Son as gift because He loved. And it was Jesus’ love for His Father, His love for You and me that brought Him to the cross.

And here we are at the end of another sermon series, Truths That Kill. We have looked at 3, today will make 4, statements used repeatedly by Christians, by the Church, and by the world that are true statements. But statements that have gained a life of their own apart from the context in which they are true and in that they have become destructive. Today we come to all sin is the same. We will look at the truth, the context, and the problem.

And here we are at the end of another sermon series, Truths That Kill. We have looked at 3, today will make 4, statements used repeatedly by Christians, by the Church, and by the world that are true statements. But statements that have gained a life of their own apart from the context in which they are true and in that they have become destructive. Today we come to all sin is the same. We will look at the truth, the context, and the problem.

Join us for our Youth Sunday sermon.

Join us for our Youth Sunday sermon.

We continue our series on Truths That Kill, and it is not the truths that kill, but the misapplication, misunderstanding, loss of context of truths that can be so destructive to faith and the Church. Today we look at a statement at the very heart of knowing God, of being saved: 'Just say this prayer'. As before we’ll look at the truth, the context, and the problem.

We continue our series on Truths That Kill, and it is not the truths that kill, but the misapplication, misunderstanding, loss of context of truths that can be so destructive to faith and the Church. Today we look at a statement at the very heart of knowing God, of being saved: 'Just say this prayer'. As before we’ll look at the truth, the context, and the problem.

Truths That Kill is the more grabbing title, but as I explained last week it is the application of truths outside their context that can be destructive to our Christian life and the Church. We are looking at four ideas that are true but have some bad application. Last week we looked at 'You don’t have to go to church to be saved'. True, but you do need to go to church to be in a thriving relationship with the One who saved you. Today we are looking at 'Jesus just wants us to love'. Like last week, we’ll look at the truth, the context, and the problem.

Truths That Kill is the more grabbing title, but as I explained last week it is the application of truths outside their context that can be destructive to our Christian life and the Church. We are looking at four ideas that are true but have some bad application. Last week we looked at 'You don’t have to go to church to be saved'. True, but you do need to go to church to be in a thriving relationship with the One who saved you. Today we are looking at 'Jesus just wants us to love'. Like last week, we’ll look at the truth, the context, and the problem.

Truths That Kill. My own title of this series scares me. I would refer to a lot of what we will talk about as elementary ideas, simple truths that have gone horribly wrong. Now to be clear, I am not talking about biblical truth. Biblical truth, God’s truth is life and life eternal! In all things we need God’s truth. At different times the Church has addressed certain conditions, ways of thinking among people in the world or people in the church and we come up with these sayings that are true, in that context. But out of that context, these statements have gained a life of their own and have become destructive to the Christian life and Church.

Truths That Kill. My own title of this series scares me. I would refer to a lot of what we will talk about as elementary ideas, simple truths that have gone horribly wrong. Now to be clear, I am not talking about biblical truth. Biblical truth, God’s truth is life and life eternal! In all things we need God’s truth. At different times the Church has addressed certain conditions, ways of thinking among people in the world or people in the church and we come up with these sayings that are true, in that context. But out of that context, these statements have gained a life of their own and have become destructive to the Christian life and Church.