Homeline Blog
“What Difference Does Easter Make?”, 4/12/2020
What Difference Does Easter Make?
I. What Does Easter Mean?
A. Jesus Is Who He Claimed To Be
“I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in me will live, even
though he dies.” John 11:25
though he dies.” John 11:25
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can get to God the Father
except by means of me.” John 14:6 (LB)
except by means of me.” John 14:6 (LB)
B. Jesus Has The Power He Claimed To Have
“All power in heaven and on earth is given to me.” Matt. 28:18 (Ph)
“No one takes my life from me. I have the power to lay it down and I have
the power to take it up again.” John 10:18 (Ph)
the power to take it up again.” John 10:18 (Ph)
C. Jesus Does What He Promises To Do
“They will mock… and flog… and kill me; but after three days I will come
back to life again.” Mark 10:34 (LB)
back to life again.” Mark 10:34 (LB)
The angel said, `Don’t be frightened! I know you are looking for Jesus who
was crucified, but he isn’t here! He has come back to life again, just as he
said he would.” Matthew 28:5-6 (LB)
was crucified, but he isn’t here! He has come back to life again, just as he
said he would.” Matthew 28:5-6 (LB)
II. Why Does Easter Matter?
A. Our Past Can Be Forgiven
“He has forgiven all our sins… and canceled every record of the debt we owed;
Christ has done away with it by nailing it to the cross.” Col. 3:14 (JB)
Christ has done away with it by nailing it to the cross.” Col. 3:14 (JB)
“There is no condemnation awaiting those who belong to Christ.” Rom. 8:1 (LB)
B. Our Present Problems Can Be Managed
“How incredibly great is God’s power to help those who believe…the same mighty
power that raised Christ from the dead!” Eph. 1:20 (LB)
power that raised Christ from the dead!” Eph. 1:20 (LB)
“I am ready for anything through the strength of Christ who lives is me.”
Phil.4:13 (Ph)
C. Our Future Can Be Secured
“This is the way to have eternal life – by knowing the only true God and Jesus
Christ, the one [God] sent to earth!” John 17:3 (LB)
Christ, the one [God] sent to earth!” John 17:3 (LB)
“We have been born again into a life full of hope through Christ’s rising from the
dead.” 1 Peter 1:3
dead.” 1 Peter 1:3
“The Demonstration Of Love”, Good Friday, 4/10/2020
“The Demonstration of Love”
I Corinthians 13:4-7
I Corinthians 13:4-7
I. Jesus Set Out To Show His Love To Us
Romans 5:6,8, “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time
and died for us sinners.” 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending
Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” NLT
and died for us sinners.” 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending
Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” NLT
A. …utterly helpless…
B. …God showed his great love for us…
C. …to die for us…
B. …God showed his great love for us…
C. …to die for us…
II. Jesus Demonstrated What True Love Really Is
1 Corinthians 13:4-7,
Love is patient
and kind.
Love is not jealous
[not] boastful
[not] proud
[not] rude.
Love does not demand its own way.
Love is not irritable,
and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged.
6 It is never glad about injustice
but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
7 Love never gives up,
never loses faith,
is always hopeful,
and endures through every circumstance.” NLT
Love is patient
and kind.
Love is not jealous
[not] boastful
[not] proud
[not] rude.
Love does not demand its own way.
Love is not irritable,
and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged.
6 It is never glad about injustice
but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
7 Love never gives up,
never loses faith,
is always hopeful,
and endures through every circumstance.” NLT
III. Jesus Spurs Us On To Love Others Like He Loved Us
John 13:34-35, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other.
Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one
another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” NLT
Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one
another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” NLT
John 15:12-13, “I command you to love each other in the same way that I love
you. 13 And here is how to measure it–the greatest love is shown when people lay
down their lives for their friends.” NLT
you. 13 And here is how to measure it–the greatest love is shown when people lay
down their lives for their friends.” NLT
Ephesians 4:2, “Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making
allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” NLT
allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” NLT
Ephesians 4:16, “Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly.
As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the
whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” NLT
As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the
whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” NLT
Conclusion
The power of the cross is in its demonstration of love for each of us and what it
can do to spur us on to love others in the name of Jesus
can do to spur us on to love others in the name of Jesus
“What We Need to Know” sermon outline, 4/5/2020
“What We Need To Know”
April 5th Sunday Message – Valley Community Church
April 5th Sunday Message – Valley Community Church
Communion Scriptures
Matthew 26:26-28, “As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.” NLT
1 Corinthians 11:23-26, “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” NIV
Message Outline
2 Corinthians 4:13-14, “But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” 14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you.” NLT
Hosea 4:6, “…my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.” NIV
I. What We Need To Know
First: Not Everything We Hear Is True
Proverbs 14:15, “Only simpletons believe everything they’re told! The prudent carefully consider their steps.” NLT
Proverbs 13:16, “A commonsense person lives good sense; fools litter the country with silliness.” MSG
Proverbs 18:2, “Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.”
Second: This Is A Season And It Will Pass
1 Peter 4:12, “Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.” NLT
2 Corinthians 4:17-18, “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
Third: What Is Most Important Will Never Change
Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” NLT
Romans 8:35, “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?”
…38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Fourth: God Will Get Us Through
Isaiah 43:2, “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”
Fifth: God Wants Us To Help Each Other
Galatians 5:13-14, “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:13-14, “…use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Colossians 3:16, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom…” NIV
1 Thessalonians 5:11, “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” NLT
Conclusion
1 John 1:1, “We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.” NLT
“Moving Through Problems” sermon outline, 3/29/2020
“Moving Through Problems”
James 1:2-8, 17
(Word Study) The word “problem” in the Greek language is “piro-blemma”, and it comes from a verb and preposition combined, which can be translated “a throwing forward, or casting forward, or forward looking.”
James 1:2-4, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”
- Rejoicing In Problems, Verses 2-4
(Word Study) “…come your way…” Also “encounter”, “Peripesete”, speaks of falling into the midst of people, objects, or circumstances. The picture is that of being surrounded with trials.
(Word Study) Endurance, “Hupomone”. This is not simply the ability to bear things; it is the ability to turn them toward something good and useful for us.
(Quote) Barclay, “Hupomone is the quality which makes a man able, not simply to suffer things, but to conquer them.”
2.God’s Helping Hand
James 1:5-8, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and [God] will give it to you. [God] will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask…be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.”
(Word Study) “Ask God” is in the present tense which means the person is to ask repeatedly. As we go through situations, we continually ask God for wisdom.
(Word Study) The word for double-minded is “dip-sychos”. It really means double souled.
Conclusion
James 1:17, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”
(Word Study) Various, “Poikilos”, can also be translated manifold and literally means many colored.
I Peter 4:10, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
“We Shall Not Lack” sermon outline
Psalm 23: “We Shall Not Lack”
Psalm 23:1-6
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s
sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You
are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my
head with oil; My cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will
dwell in the house of the LORD forever. NASU
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s
sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You
are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my
head with oil; My cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will
dwell in the house of the LORD forever. NASU
I. The Lord Is Our Shepherd
The name “Lord” means “I am who I am.”
(Definition) Chiefly, the name refers to God’s timelessness, on the one hand, and to his self-sufficiency, on the other.
Timelessness means that God is always the same in the characteristics or attributes which he alone possesses. He will be unchanged and unchangeable forever.
Self-sufficiency means that God needs nothing.
Luke 15:4-5
John 10:2-4,14
A. We Will Not Lack…
1. …Rest – v. 2
Psalm 23:2, “He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.”
(Quote) Keller, “It is almost impossible for sheep to be made to lie down unless four requirements are met.”
Freedom from fear.
Freedom from friction with other sheep.
Freedom from flies.
Freedom from feeling hungry.
Freedom from fear.
Freedom from friction with other sheep.
Freedom from flies.
Freedom from feeling hungry.
2. A Restored Soul – v. 3a
Psalm 23:3, “He restores my soul…”
3. Guidance – 3b
Psalm 23:3b, “He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”
4. Peace & Comfort – v. 4
Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
(Grammar Study) We see in the language of David that he now replaces the third person pronoun “He” for the second person pronoun “You” and “Your”.
He begins by saying; “He makes me lie down,” “He leads me”, “He guides me”; and once the shadow of the valley begins to show, David says, “You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
5. Provision – v. 5
Psalm 23:5, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.”
6. Goodness and Lovingkindness – v. 6a
Psalm 23:6a, “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life…”
7. An Eternal Home – v. 6b
Psalm 23:6b, “…And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”