December 1, 2024

Clearwater Community Church - FL

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December 1, 2024

December 1, 2024 • Pastor Josh Kee

Luke 12:32a Sermon Notes

Series: Awaiting the King (becoming like children)

Title: “Fear Not”

Goals of our Advent series:

1. Enter the goodness of waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled

2. Learn from the posture of children at Christmastime

3. Rejoice in the character of God as a generous Father

4. Find our joy in the true treasure of the kingdom

Q: What causes fear in your life?

What is your posture before God?

1. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

Fear causes us to accumulate too much (12:13-21)

- It is foolish to accumulate possessions

- Worldly wealth often leads to spiritual poverty – Christ’s coming wrecks the self-sufficient

2. Fear causes us to be overly worried about our needs (12:22-31)

- God’s creation gives ample evidence that he cares abundantly for his creatures

- It is foolish and faithless to be overly “preoccupied with” or “fixated on” our own needs

- Seek God’s kingdom as a matter of highest priority

3. Fear distracts us from what ultimately matters (12:35-40)

- Jesus’ first advent (arrival) prepares the way for his second

- Live with the return of Christ in mind, with confidence and assurance (1 John 4:17)

- Our readiness should be marked by anticipation, not fear (Hebrews 10:39; 1 Peter 1:3-9)

4. God’s perfect love is the remedy to our fear (1 John 4:15-19)

- God’s perfect is manifested (displayed and proved) in the coming of Jesus

- “Perfect humility dispenses with modesty” (C.S. Lewis)

Main Idea:

We still struggle with the question of God’s goodness, but God has amply proved his commitment to our salvation by sending Jesus, once for the atonement of sin, and a second time to give us the kingdom. If we are in Christ, we have nothing to fear.

Application Questions:

1. Our fears are often revealed by our ambitions. What motivates you to do what you do? Are you motivated by the lavish love of God that promises care and provision, or by fear (fear of not measuring up? Of not having enough? Of being unimportant? Of going unnoticed? Of ___________?)

2. Our fears are also revealed by our worries and anxieties. What keeps you awake at night? What threatens your contentment and peace? Are you justifying worry? What good is it producing (peace, joy, solutions?) What are you afraid God is going to withhold from you?

3. “Perfect humility dispenses with modesty.” What do you think this means? How do children teach us how to wait with boldness? Consider the sinful woman washing Jesus' feet with her tears and costly perfume (Luke 36-50) and Peter jumping into the water half naked and swimming to the shore to meet the resurrected Jesus after having denied him three times (John 21:7).

4. Think about the lengths to which you go to give your children or grandchildren (or other people you love) good things. Do you live with the assumption that God is more generous, more thoughtful, and more delighted to give you his goodness than you are to give good things to those you love (see Matthew 7:9-11)? How does this help us fight fear?

5. Is there anything that keeps you from relating with God freely and confidently? Your own sense of unworthiness? Your sinfulness? Read 1 Timothy 1:12-16. Why did Jesus come? How does Advent encourage us to embrace Christ as children?

6.Do you have a sense of anticipation for Christ’s return? Ask God to help you long for Christ during this Advent season and sense the reality of his perfect love for you in Christ.

December 15, 2024

December 15, 2024 • Pastor Phil Burggraff • Luke 12:32

Theme: Pleasing to our Heavenly Father Passage: Luke 12:32 The Progression of God’s pleasure in Luke: · Luke 2:14: God’s pleasure with us stems from His salvific work to glorify Himself and establish peace for humanity · Luke 3:22: God the Father declares His pleasure in His beloved Son. · 10:21: God takes pleasure in making salvation something to be simply received by knowing and receiving Jesus as Savior. Key Truth: God is pleased with us because He is pleased with His Son. Further, God is pleased when we ... 1. Recognize his authority over our lives and properly fear Him (4–7) 2. Publicly acknowledge Jesus and submit to His Holy Spirit (8–10) 3. Are rich toward Him (21) 4. Prioritize His kingdom over the material stuff of this world (31) 5. Are ready for Jesus’ return (37–38) Key Truth Restated: God is fully pleased with those of us who have trusted in His Son. Application Questions: · How can we err in our understanding of God’s pleasure, especially towards us? Why do we do this? · How is the Father pleased with Jesus? How do we benefit from this? Is there anything that we need to do to receive these benefits? Why or why not? · Why is it important to understand that God is fully pleased with us because we are in Jesus Christ? How have you struggled with believing this truth? · If God is fully pleased with us already, what role does obedience play in our relationship with God? How does the analogy of parent (Father) and children clarify this?

December 8, 2024

December 8, 2024 • Pastor Phil Burggraff • Luke 12:32

Theme: Little Flock Passage: Luke 12:32b Our Two-fold problem with “Fear Not” 1. Little a. Small b. Weak c. Insignificant d. Unseen e. Unable to provide security that they need for themselves 2. Flock From context, notice all the things that can cause worry for us as sheep: a. Death (4) b. Witness before others (8–12) c. Financial security (16–21) d. Basic provisions (22) e. Keeping up with others (29–30) The Reality for a Little Flock: 1. Sheep must trust: Sheep rely on another to provide what they need. 2. The Shepherd’s Care: If God can provide for insignificant birds, flowers, and grass, how much more will he take care of His own flock? Main Idea: Trust in our Shepherd to providentially care rather than worry over uncontrollable outcomes enables us feeble sheep to “Fear not.” Application Questions: · With which aspect(s) of little do you resonate? How so? · Are there facets of life over which you are currently worrying? List them and describe how they are causing you to do so? · In what ways does 2 Corinthians 12:8–10 further develop Christ’s description of us as a little flock? What truths from that passage speak into your current situation? · Why do you suppose God is so glorified through the insignificant and weak things in this world? What should this reality produce in us?