We talk a lot about “how to become a Christian?” or “how to live the Christian life?” but in this message, we are going to take some time to think about the “why.” What is it that ought to motivate us to follow God? As we look at 2 Kings 13 we will consider 4 different motivations for being a Christian in order to see which one is big enough to keep us following God all of our life.
Grief and Our Great Enemy
October 5, 2024 • Tim Cain • 2 Kings 8:7–15
How would you respond if you looked into the future and perceived a new political leader coming to power that you knew for certain was bent on bringing untold suffering on you and the ones you loved? This was the position Elisha found himself in here in 2 Kings 8. However, Elisha is not the only one who finds himself facing an enemy that is stronger than he is and bent on bringing him harm. Paul tells us that, as Christians, we too find ourselves in a similar situation. In this message, we will consider one of the ways that the Bible calls us to respond to it.
Loss, Regret, and Restoration
September 28, 2024 • Tim Cain • 2 Kings 8:1–6
What do we do with our regrets? And how does the promise of restoration deal with all that we end up missing out on in life because of the things we have lost? In this passage, the author of 2 Kings writes to a people who have lost everything and are struggling with regret. He gives us a glimmer of hope and helps us see why we should continue to wait for the LORD even in seasons of significant loss.
Too Good to be True
September 21, 2024 • Tim Cain • 2 Kings 7
Sometimes, what makes God’s promises seem difficult to believe is how big they are. In the midst of terrible loss, it can be hard to believe that God has a plan to use even loss for our ultimate good. In the midst of deep loneliness, it can be difficult to believe that God is with us, and in the midst of inexcusable failure, it can be hard to fathom that he continues to enjoy loving us. These are some big promises, and in this passage, we will consider some different ways that people respond to things they consider too good to be true.
Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?
September 7, 2024 • Tim Cain • 2 Kings 6:24–33
ave you ever found yourself asking, “Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?” It is a question born out of pain and disappointment. A question that comes when we don’t understand why God isn’t fixing something that we care about and we don’t know why. For any of you who have ever wondered, “Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?” this sermon is for you.
Eyes Wide Open to the Promises, Presence, and Power of God
August 31, 2024 • Joshua Moffit • 2 Kings 6:8–23
Summary: Sin is a failure to believe in God's promises to us, God's presence with us, and God's power for us. When we fail to believe the gospel, we blindly give into the temptations to grasp for control, to be lured away by the enticements of the world, or to give into fear and despair. And so, the constant refrain of scripture is to repent and believe the gospel - to turn away from that which has stolen our gaze and to fix our eyes of faith once again upon Jesus so that we might see with a right perspective.
Unforgiveness and our desire for fairness
August 24, 2024 • Tim Cain • 2 Kings 5:19–27
Have you ever really struggled to forgive someone because you didn’t think they deserved it? Have you ever tried to extract from someone just a little bit of the pain that their sin had caused you? Have you ever hidden your failures in order to feel superior to someone else? If you find yourself resonating with any of these questions, then this sermon is for you.
Loving the Difficult People in Our Lives
August 17, 2024 • Tim Cain • 2 Kings 5:1–17
All of us have people in our lives who we find difficult to love, but what do we do? How do we love people who have hurt us? In this message, we will consider God’s love for his enemies and how it can enable us to love the people in our lives who we find difficult.
Not Enough
August 10, 2024 • Tim Cain • 2 Kings 4:42–44
Have you ever tried your best at something only to find out that it wasn’t enough? That is a tough feeling, isn’t it? That feeling that comes over us when we realize that we are not good enough. In this message we will see why it is that we work so hard to be enough. We will also discover how it is that God has chosen to deal with the areas in which we have fallen short.
Jesus and the Harm We Have Caused
August 3, 2024 • Tim Cain • 2 Kings 4:38–41
Have you ever tried to help someone and ended up doing more harm than good? Have you ever found out after the fact that you had deeply hurt someone? How does the Gospel help us deal with the harm we may unwittingly cause? Is there hope that harm can be healed both for ourselves and for those we have hurt? These are the questions we will consider in this passage.
Self-Protection and Vulnerability in a World of Loss and Disappointment
July 28, 2024 • Tim Cain • 2 Kings 4:8–37
In a world where nothing feels safe, how are we supposed to protect ourselves from being crushed by disappointment? How can we open our hearts to unfiltered joy when happiness often feels like a setup for heartbreak? These are just a few of the questions we will consider in this sermon.
How To Understand Miracles
July 20, 2024 • Tim Cain • 2 Kings 4:1–7
Have you ever heard someone share a miracle story and wondered, “Why did God answer their prayer for a miracle and not mine?” In this passage, we will consider the purpose of miracles and how we are supposed to deal with the difficult times when God says No.
Growing in Dependence
July 13, 2024 • Tim Cain • 2 Kings 3
Where do you turn in the midst of a crisis? Do you turn to God or do you double down on your own wisdom? If you do turn to God, do you turn to him in humility to ask for help or in frustration to blame him for everything that is going wrong? And how do you respond when the crisis is over? Do you continue to live in dependence upon God or do you drift back into self-reliance until things fall apart again? In this passage we will be reminded of just how desperately we need God’s help and why we can trust that his help will always be there for us.
Confidence in the Word of God
July 6, 2024 • Joshua Moffit • 2 Kings 2:15–25
On what do you place your confidence? Whether we like to admit it or not our confidence is often misplaced in things that are fleeting. Elisha teaches us that for those who follow the LORD, the foundation of our confidence is the Word of God empowered by the Spirit of God. The Word of God alone is always true and always accomplishes the purposes of God. Jesus Christ died and rose to ensure that his Word will overcome all opposition and his promises to us are certain.
The Pain and Privilege of Discipleship
June 29, 2024 • Wes Van Fleet • 2 Kings 2:1–14
Anyone who has ever been discipled knows how God can give you respect and admiration for the one who discipled you. But what happens when God calls that person elsewhere? Should you find someone else to disciple you? Should you disciple others? Listen and hear how the gospel forms us into men and women who count the cost of following Jesus and call others to follow him with us.
