Big Idea: The desert helps us see that God is all we need.
1. God reveals our desire (v 1-4)
2. God restores our delight (v 5-8)
3. God remains our defense (v 9-11)
Soul Songs (Psalm 142)
Big Idea: When you’re at the end of your rope, God listens to your cry for help.
1. God hears you when all you can do is cry. (v 1-2)
2. God sees you when all you can see is danger (v 3-4)
3. God saves you when all hope seems lost (v 5-7)
Soul Songs (Psalm 73)
Big Idea: When prevailing injustice crushes our faith, God’s power and presence are the rock of our souls.
1. What the psalmist sees (v 4-15)
2. What the psalmist recalls (v 16-22)
3. What the psalmist desires (v 23-28)
Humility That Obeys (James 4)
Big Idea: Humility is the key that turns pride to humble obedience
1. The Problem: Pride
2. The Solution: Grace that leads to humility
3. The Response: Humility that obeys
Soul Songs (Psalm 51)
Big Idea: In the filth of sin, God's merciful love cleanses our souls
1. A cry for mercy (Ps 51:1-2)
2. A confession of sin (Ps 51:3-6)
3. A prayer for cleansing (Ps 51:7-12)
4. A sacrifice of humility (Ps 51:13-19)
Soul Songs (Psalm 130-131)
Big Idea: In deep distress, the hope of God's rescuing love soothes our souls.
1. Our hope in distress (Psalm 130)
Deep (Ps 130:1-2)
Grace (Ps 130:3-4)
Waiting (Ps 130:5-6)
2. Our souls are soothed (Ps 131)
Let God be God (Ps 131:1)
Cuddle up like a little child (Ps 131:2-3)
Soul Songs (Psalm 36)
Big Idea: It is through the Fear of God that we experience the Love of God
1) Ways We Lack the Fear of God (Psalm 36:1-4)
Deny
Defy
Redefine
2) God’s Response - Love (Psalm 36:5-12)
God’s Love is GRANDIOSE
God’s Love is A FEAST
God’s Love is SHOWN TO US IN JESUS
The Purpose of the Church (Ephesians 3:10)
The Purpose of the Church
1) God's wisdom in salvation made known to us (Eph 3:10a)
2) God's wisdom in salvation made known to usThrough us to the heavenly beings (Eph 3:10b)
Gospel + ∅ (Part 5) Philippians 3:1-9
Big Idea: Confidence in our union with Christ frees us to rejoice in the Lord
1) The Poison: Legalism (Phil 3:2)
a. Dogs… defile by ignoring the gospel (Phil 3:2a)
b. Evildoers... enslave through deception (Phil 3:2b)
c. Mutilators... manipulate for their own glory (Phil 3:2c)
2) The Antidote: Confidence in our union with Christ (Phil 3:3-9)
a. We worship by the Spirit of God (Phil 3:3b)
b. We glory in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:3c)
c. We put no confidence in the flesh (Phil 3:3d-9)
3) The Response: Rejoice in the Lord (Phil 3:1)
A new source of joy…
Performance of Paul… a joy that’s fleeting, momentary, counterfeit.
Person of Christ… a joy that’s enduring, lasting, genuine.
Application: A Christ-confident Christian is tenaciously disciplined…
a. But not self-righteous
b. But not self-condemning
c. But not self-sufficient
Gospel + ∅ (Part 4) Ephesians 2:11-22
Big Idea: The gospel plus nothing makes us one
1. We were far away, but Jesus brought us near (2:11-13)
2. We were two, but Jesus made us one (2:14-17)
3. We were strangers, but Jesus made us family (2:18-22)
Gospel + ∅ (Part 3) Galatians 5:1-26
Big Idea: The gospel plus nothing liberates us
Since Jesus liberates us...
1. Don't go back to slavery! (Gal 5:1-12)
2. Don't use your freedom to kill each other! (Gal 5:13-15)
3. Follow the right leader! (Gal 5:16-26)
Application: How do I "walk by the Spirit"?
a. Listen to the Spirit (Jn. 16:13; Col. 3:16)
b. Pray in the Spirit (Rom. 8:26; Eph. 6:18; Jude 20)
c. Walk with others who are walking by the Spirit (Eph. 5:18-21; Heb. 3:12-14; 10:24-25)
Gospel + ∅ (Part 2) Romans 3:9-31
Big Idea: The gospel plus nothing justifies us
1. The law can't justify us because we're all sinful (Rom 3:9-20)
Everyone is a sinner
The law teaches us how sinful we are
2. The good news is that Jesus came to justify sinners (Rom 3:21-26)
Jesus' arrival shows God's righteousness
Jesus' arrival shows God's grace
3. So, we trust in Jesus and not the law to justify us (Rom 3:27-31)
Faith in Jesus, not our works, justifies us
Everyone can be justified through faith in Jesus
Gospel + ∅ (Part 1) Acts 15:1-35
Big Idea: The gospel plus nothing saves us
1) Controversy (Acts 15:1-5)
2) Affirmation (Acts 15:6-18)
3) Decision (Acts 15:19-35)
Dangerous Journey, Glorious Destination (Acts 14:1-28)
Big Idea: Living sent is a dangerous journey that leads to a glorious destination
1. The dangerous journey (Acts 14:1-20)
- Division (Acts 14:1-7)
- Idolatry (Acts 14:8-18)
- Persecution (Acts 14:19-20)
2. The glorious destination (Acts 14:21-28)
- The Kingdom of God! (Acts 14:22)
Reviling and Rejoicing (Acts 13:13-52)
Big Idea: The gospel draws out both reviling and rejoicing
1. The gospel applies impartially to all (Acts 13:13-43)
2. The gospel incites reviling from some (Acts 13:44-45, 50-51)
3. The gospel inspires rejoicing in others (Acts 13:46-49, 52)
The Spirit Leads Those Who Live Sent (Acts 13:1-12)
Big Idea: The Spirit leads those who live sent
1. The Spirit calls (Acts 13:1-2)
a. In a worship meeting
b. To a missionary work
2. The Spirit sends (Acts 13:3-5)
a. From a planted church
b. To a people in need
3. The Spirit fills (Acts 13:6-12)
a. To confront falsehood
b. To promote truth
Take Courage (Mark 15:40-6:10)
Big Idea: Take courage to tell others the good news of Jesus Christ the Son of God, risen from the dead.
Three Steps toward Courageous Evangelism
1. Observe his finished work of salvation. (15:40-41)
2. Align yourself publicly with his kingdom. (15:42-47)
3. Bear witness to your experience of his resurrection power. (16:1-8)
Jesus In My Place (Part 2) Luke 23:13-25
Big Idea: Religion replaced the Messiah with a murderer
1. Jesus' undeniable innocence (23:13-16)
2. The religious leaders' unrelenting madness (23:18-23)
3. The sentence of unthinkable injustice (23:24-25)
Jesus In My Place (Part 1) Luke 22:39-46
Big Idea: Jesus grasped the cup of suffering in our place
1. Purposefully, he approached the cup (39-40)
2. Prayerfully, he received the cup (41-42)
3. Passionately, he braced himself to drink the cup (43-46)
Fishing is a Calling (Part 4) Matthew 4:18-22
Big Idea: Reaching "one" is more than a job, it's a calling
1. Jesus sees beyond our occupation to our vocation (4:18, 21)
2. Jesus makes people our calling (4:19)
3. Jesus leads us in leaving to pursue our call (4:20, 22)