Guest Speakers
2019
The Simplicity of the Christian Life
December 29, 2019 • Pastor Ben King
I. The root of legalism is maturing ourselves by our own efforts. II. The root of our lives as Christians is not rules and standards, but Christ in us. III. Three Types of Christians A. Christians Living for Self B. Christians Living for Christ 1. The desire is often right, but the method is often off. C. Christians Letting Christ Live Through Them 1. How do we let Christ live through us? 2. Abide: Rest in Christ - John 15:4-5 3. Through the Spirit, by Faith, in Love IV. The core of the Christian life is not living by rules and standards, it is allowing Christ to live through us. By learning to abide in Christ, live by the Spirit and in faith as we love God and those around us.
Entrusted With the Gospel
February 10, 2019 • Pastor Ben King
I. SHARE WITH CONFIDENCE AND CLARITY: 1 Thess 2:2 A. This confidence and clarity comes from God B. This boldness comes from God C. Boldness: fearless, confidence. and clarity II. SHARE OUR LIVES: 1 Thess 2:8 A. It involves a deep, affectionate love for other Christians B. It involves life on life C. Who is God placing on your heart to invest into? III. SHARE WITH A FULL SCHEDULE: 1 Thess 2:9 A. We can have a full schedule and minister effectively for Christ! CONCLUSION: Since God has entrusted us with the Gospel, we have been given the responsibility to share it. We are to share it with confidence and clarity, to share our lives with others, and to share even though we have a full schedule.
The Necessity of Meeting Together
March 17, 2019 • Pastor Ben King
1. BELIEVERS ARE OUR JOY AND REWARD - 1 Thess 2:19-20 a. Persist in meeting with others. b. It will have eternal results! 2. WE NEED ENCOURAGEMENT FROM BELIEVERS IN AFFLICTION - 1 Thess 3:1-3 a. Affliction tends to move us. b. We need the encouragement of other believers in affliction. 3. WE NEED NEED OTHERS BELIEVERS IN ORDER TO PERSEVERE IN OUR FAITH - 1 Thess 3:8, Heb 3:12-14 a. Our goal is to persevere in our faith. b. Are you persevering in your faith? CONCLUSION We are to desire and make diligent effort to meet with other Christians. Why? Because believers are our joy and reward. We need encouragement from other believers in our afflictions and we need other believers In order to persevere In our faith.
Changing a Culture
April 7, 2019 • Dr. Ronn Read
I. THE MAIN IDEA: A. “Satan does not tempt us just to make us do wrong things. He tempts us to make us lose what God has put into us through redemption; namely, the possibility of being of value to God.” B. John 5:1-6 1. Blind 2. Lame 3. Paralyzed II. PROBLEMS: OUR “DISABILITY” A. We fill up with “schtuff” 1. Children of a lesser god B. We focus on externals 1. To make us lose what God has put into us C. See diagram above. III. QUESTION: DO YOU WANT TO BE WHOLE? A. Connected: every man needs other men 1. “Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him, and the more deeply he becomes involved in it, the more disastrous is his isolation.” Dietrich Bonhoefer B. Transformed: every man has a master 1. Philippians 3:5-8 – consider it rubbish… 2. We look for a quick fix, ‘self-made’ man 3. Behavior modification vs. heart transformation C. Challenged: every man has a mission 1. 2 Corinthians 5:20 – Christ’s ambassadors 2. We settle for the lesser mission 3. Need to hear and heed the call for Kingdom D. Discipled: every man needs to grow 1. Colossians 1:28-29 – every man mature in Christ 2. Discipleship is learning to become who Jesus would be if he were you. Dallas Willard E. The Christian life Is not difficult - it is impossible without Christ
The Sovereignty of God
May 26, 2019
I. OVERVIEW A. God is entirely sovereign B. Adversity is experienced even by Christians C. Our capacity to understand God is limited, but our capacity to know God is unlimited II. COMMON CHALLENGE / QUESTION: WHY IS THERE SUFFERING? A. Simple answer: Sin – Gen. 3:14-19 III. BETTER TO FOCUS ON THE WHO QUESTION vs THE WHY QUESTION IV. JOB IS AN EXCELLENT ILLUSTRATION ON WHO GOD IS A. Job 1:1-3 1. Setting: time frame, location, author 2. Job characteristics - Hebrew meaning – persecuted-persecuted one B. Job 1:8-12, Job 2:3-6 1. Satan is Sada in Hebrew and means Adversary – far from truth 2. God doesn’t afflict and limits the adversity 3. This is not a competition where God is uncertain of the outcome C. Job 2:9, Job 4:7-9, Job 8:1-6, Job 11:13-20 1. We need to be in the company of compassionate believers 2. Be cautious using even Christian culture to interpret God’s plans V. CONCLUSION: GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY PROVIDES GREAT COMFORT – MEANING – PREEMINENT- SUPREME - INDISPUTABLE A. No time frame for Job’s suffering – most likely in a 100 year period B. We typically grow the most in our relationship with Christ through adversity C. We are never alone – He is always working on our behalf
Our Identity in Trials
September 15, 2019 • Pastor Ben King
INTRODUCTION - Where do we find our identity? How do we answer the question, ‘who am I?’ A. I am what I do. B. I am my failures and sins. C. Achievement. D. Feelings. E. Personal testimony. I. OUR IDENTITY is not rooted in what we do, but in who we belong to. A. Formed exactly how God wants us to be. 1. “I have called you by name, you are mine.” 2. Identity in Christ - Eph 2:10 3. Sin has entered in - 2 Cor 12:7-10 4. Isaiah 43:1 - Brought back from slavery to sin. We don’t have to do what we used to do. B. “Fear not, for I redeemed you.” II. LIFE’S DIFFICULTIES won’t overwhelm us. A. “When you pass through the waters” 1. vs 2 - It’s a promise to pass through the waters. B. “They will not overwhelm you.” 1. Why? “I am the Holy One. Of Israel your Savior.” CONCLUSION Our identity is not in what we do, but in who we belong to. When God is sorting us out He is looking for God in us, the core of our identity. He is reminding us He made us exactly how He wants us to be, and that we don’t have to do what we used to. We can overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit. Even when we face difficult and seemingly overwhelmingly difficult times, God promised that these trials won’t overwhelm us, because Christ is our Deliverer, our Savior. God in the midst of our trials is looking for Christ in us.