Jul 02 2021
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Christ’s Love, Death Brings Life

Sunday Sermon Notes from June 6, 2021


Read 2 Corinthians 5:14 - 6:2

  • Christ's love compels us.
  • Jesus bore the punishment and guilt we earned for our sin.
    • He was separated from God.
  • Why are you convinced you should live for Jesus and not for yourself?
  • What is the love of Christ compelling you to do and to be?
  • Sometimes, when we chose to remove Jesus from the life we live now, we may feel worthless, full of anxiety, full of fear, stress, and we can make poor choices in our lives.

Read 1 Peter 2:21-25

  • When you are going through insults and suffering, to whom do you entrust yourself?
  • When Jesus was going through suffering, he entrusted himself to God
  • Who or what do you entrust yourself to when you are going through suffering?
  • Some examples may be: money, parents, friends, food, netflix
  • Jesus chose not to take matters into his own hands when he was suffering
  • Do you think you should be treated better than Jesus was treated?
  • How can Jesus' wounds provide healing?
    • Jesus suffered for us, he did not deserve it and did it for us anyway
    • This removes all the excuses we have not to respond to God reaching out to us
    • This should produce gratitude in our hearts
    • Healing from Jesus is true healing for our souls. He is able to help us to be reconciled to GOD and save us from our own destruction.
  • What is your response to Jesus bearing your sins on the cross?
    • God has a plan for you to die to sin and live for righteousness.
    • Death brings life.

Read Galatians 2:20

  • How do you connect with the truth that you are a sinner; you crucified Christ and don't deserve salvation?
    • You have received God's Grace, not what you deserve!
    • You are compelled by Jesus' love.
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Jun 27 2021
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Who is your Daddy?

Sunday Sermon Notes 6/20/2021

Read Matthew 22: 34-46

  • Why did they ask Jesus this question about commandments?
    • Were they pure hearted or just trying to cause an argument?
    • Was this the hot button topic of the day?
    • The very question exposed their intentions to trap Jesus
  • Have you ever been asked a trick question?
  • How did Jesus answer them?
    • Jesus used scripture from the Old Testament to respond to their tricks, it can be found in Deuteronomy 6:5, so they should have already known this
    • He was even able to rebuke them because they were not being loving toward Him as they were trying to trap him
  • Why did the Pharisees have a hard time understanding this?
    • They had a lot of head knowledge, but their hearts really were not about following Jesus
    • Remember the Rich Young Ruler: it was not just about money, his heart was not about following Jesus totally
  • Why did Jesus ask them about who the Messiah is?
    • This forced them to really look at the scriptures to get the answer that was true
    • It was really clear that David called the Messiah his Lord
    • Jesus was able to help them through their own reasoning when they said the Messiah was the son of David, when in fact, the Messiah was really the Son of God
    • They got the idea that the Messiah would be the son of David from 2 Samuel 7, when God promised David he would always have a son on his throne
    • The Pharisees were so caught up in their own understanding that they even missed when David referred to the Messiah as the son of God.
    • They had the son of God right in their midst and reduced how important he was 
    • Isn’t it really important to have a correct understanding of scriptures? It is so easy to miss out when you do not have this understanding, right?
  • Read through Psalm 110
    • David is writing this Psalm and stating that God said to Jesus: sit at my right hand
    • There is “royal” language used here to show that there would be a conquering of enemies and ruling of an empire in the future
    • This is a reminder, when God is in charge and does the ruling, everything goes well!
    • When we insert ourselves and remove God from the throne of our lives and decide to manage things, they don’t go so well, right?
    • Even David, started to rely on his army and his army was not able to deliver, only God delivers
    • As you read through this Psalm think of Jesus, it is an uncovering of who Jesus is and describes his purpose on this earth
  • Study out the account of "David taking a census"
    • What does this passage say about David's troops being "willing"?
    • How do the troops of the Son of Man differ from David's?  (Answer : They are properly redeemed, clothed, and willing and David's are not)
    • If David calls Jesus "Lord" in a familiar way with his use of 'Adonai', then how much more is there for us to know of Christ ourselves? (John 10:14-15)
    • The Pharisees failed to embrace Jesus as the Son of God and love Him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.  
    • Study the Psalm again and see what happens to the enemies of the Son of Man -now you know why nobody asked him any more questions.
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Jun 27 2021
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HOW AWESOME IS JESUS !

Sunday Sermon Notes 6/13/2021

Read Genesis 2:23-24, Colossians 1:18 and Ephesians 5:30

  • When a man and woman get married, they become one flesh, after the man leaves his parents
  • Jesus, who had ultimate supremacy, left his Father in Heaven, and came to earth to show us how to follow God and married the church, that is us
  • We are members of the church, the one body, the bride of Jesus
  • So now, when God looks at the church, he sees us because we have been reconciled to Him through Jesus’s sacrifice

Read Deuteronomy 22:13-21

  • In Jewish custom, the women had to prove virginity in order not to be stoned
  • Remember, Mary was pregnant with Jesus before marrying Joseph?
  • Jesus was willing to be born of an unmarried woman, which was a lowly stigma in that time
  • When we were still sinners, Jesus died for us anyway, this is outside of the culture of Jewish tradition

Read John 1:11 and Matthew 15:24

  • Jesus went to his own people, they rejected him
  • When we say “no” to Jesus, he keeps returning to help us reconcile back to him
  • He was willing to go against Jewish tradition and even helped a Canaanite woman, he makes exceptions to meet needs when necessary. 
  • He goes above and beyond laws to take care of people

Read Hosea 3:1-4 and 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 and Hebrews 5:7

  • Hosea had to buy back his wife
  • This is how God feels about “buying” adulteress people
  • Hosea had to love his wife the same way
  • We were bought at a price, so we should honor God with our bodies
  • Jesus paid for his “wife” the church, with his very life
  • Jesus was submissive to God’s plan of reconciliation for his people
  • What makes you drop to your knees and cry out to God like Jesus did?

Read John 10:16, Isaiah 53 and Ephesians 6:25

  • Jesus went against tradition again, and brought Jews and Gentiles together
  • He was willing to do anything to save us, like give up his life and come here to earth
Jun 23 2021
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What did Jesus teach us about Children?

Sunday Sermon Notes from June 6, 2021

Read Matthew 18: 1-4

  • Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?
    • Children, why? They are humble, teachable, trusting, of low position in society
    • Adults are usually taking care of children and being responsible, but Jesus wants us to have the heart of children so that we can make it to Heaven

Read Matthew 18: 5-6

  • Jesus says when we receive children, we will also be receiving Him
  • We have to be careful not to lead others into sin, sin separates us from God

Read Matthew 18: 7-9

  • We need to take sin seriously, even temptations. The world is full of temptations
  • Better to get rid of something that tempts you to sin than to give in and miss out on Heaven

Read Matthew 18: 10-4

  • God wants to save the weakest among us
  • We have angels that take care of us, and they see God’s face. They talk to God about his children
  • God is willing to and does search for us when we are lost, even if all of his other children are safe

Read Matthew 23: 11-12

  • Humble in Hebrew means: to be brought low
  • The greatest is the best servant
  • When we humble ourselves, God exalts us
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Jun 06 2021
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The Day of Pentecost

Sunday Sermon Notes from May 23, 2021

Read Acts Chapter 2

The Day of Pentecost

  • Also known as the Festival of Weeks or Feast of Wheat or Feast of First Fruits
  • It is mentioned in the Old Testament/Pentateuch
  • It occurred 50 days after the Passover ( 50 days is seven weeks plus one day, therefore it is also called "the week of weeks")

Why do they refer to it as the Feast of First Fruits?

  • Sign of giving your best to God, ie first portion of the harvest or first born from animal stock
  • 1Cor 15:20-23: Jesus represents the best of all mankind, we as disciples represent the harvest

What does the “violent rushing of wind” refer to?

  • The Holy Spirit in Hebrew
  • In Greek- Breath or Wind refers to the Holy Spirit
  • In John 3: Jesus talks about the wind and the Spirit, they eventually received it in Acts
  • They made the sound of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 when they received the Spirit and were speaking in tongues
  • The people said they heard the wonders of God in their own language
  • The Spirit caused the believers to speak of God and it caused Peter to speak of Jesus
  • The Trinity of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were being revealed

What is significant about Numbers 11?

  • There is prophesying and wind present. God granted the ability to prophesy to all
  • Paul talks about languages, which is a sign of judgement, God revealing secrets of our hearts that lead to convictions

How is Genesis 11:1-9 different than Acts 2

  • In Babel, they were self reliant and united in selfishness, so their language was confused to prevent further destruction
  • In Acts, speech is used to unify them and help them to rely on God
  • The Holy Spirit moves to place us into fellowship with each other and the Holy Spirit also moves to scatter us when sin is involved
  • The Holy Spirit gives us gifts to help us build each other up
  • Remember to keep speaking the message for Christ Jesus to others
  • This speaking and sharing of truth has been ongoing since the day of Pentecost

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May 11 2021
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Jesus notices the small things we do to honor HIM!

Sunday Sermon Notes from May 2, 2021

Read Matthew 25:31-46

  • Who is Jesus talking to in this passage?
    • He was talking to his disciples in a private conversation, see Matthew 24:3
  • What Message is Jesus trying to teach to his disciples?
    • He was preparing them for the events to come in the future, ie. judgement in their lives, the destruction of Jerusalem etc.
    • He was providing them with examples of how they should be living ie. serving the poor, giving to others and being generous with their time
  • How did Jesus differentiate between the “Goats” and the “Sheep”?
    • He judged them based on their actions and their motivations for doing what they did or did not do
    • Sheep in general are animals that are obedient or docile or reliant on a Shepherd, but Goats in general are independent, disobedient and difficult to manage. Are you more goat like or sheep like?
  • God gave humans free will to live as they choose. How are you choosing to live?
  • When we are close to Jesus, our actions should reflect his character and we should want to do the things described in this text
  • Jesus was commending the small and private things these people were doing because it reflected their true and good hearts. 
  • In Luke: the rich man could not give up his riches and give to the poor because in his heart, he was having a hard time obeying Jesus. He would not make it because of his unwillingness to yield to his own will.
  • As Christians, we should be willing to yield to Jesus in our hearts and  allow Jesus to influence our  lives personally in order to pursue what God wants us to pursue.
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May 02 2021
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Living on the Inside Track with Jesus

Sunday Sermon Notes from 4/25/2021

Have you ever been on the “inside” of a joke?

Did you feel included and part of the group as a result of being on the inside?

Have you ever been on the “outside” of a joke?

Did you feel excluded or left out?

Read John 1:43-51

  • What was the inside story about Nazareth? Weren’t they looked down on by others?
  • How are the men in the story related to each other?
  • Jesus expressed he knew Nathanael
    • How did Jesus know him? What did Jesus see him doing earlier?
    • Was Nathanael truly a man of “no deceit”
    • Jesus was able to see more than what Nathanael was trying to show off
  • What happened to Nathanael’s heart when Jesus gave him proof?
  • Can we move the hearts of people the way Jesus did?
    • Unlikely, many times, even if we show someone proof they can still doubt
    • Why? Maybe because it is sometimes difficult to see the truth in our lives and accept it and make long lasting changes as a result.
    • Was it easy for Nathanael to change his views about who Jesus was?
      • Not likely easy, it took a huge amount of faith to admit who Jesus was
      • Nathanael was a Jew who did not believe in Jesus, he was at the beginning stages of discovering who the Messiah truly was
  • Jesus had an inside track with Nathaneal and used it to help him come to faith (remember Jesus had seen him by the fig tree earlier)
  • As disciples, we have an inside track with Jesus and by staying close to him he will help our faith to continue to grow
  • Jesus will knock down roadblocks to get to our deepest parts of our heart and who we are so that we can have a relationship with him 
  • Remember the promises that God gave to Abraham, they are for you too!
    • Genesis 28:10-22 and Genesis 12:1-3
    • 7 AMAZING promises from GOD:
      • To make you a great nation
      • To bless you
      • To make your name great
      • To make you a blessing
      • To bless those who bless you
      • To curse those who curse you
      • All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you
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Apr 29 2021
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You are highly valued by Jesus

Sunday Sermon Notes from 4/11/2021

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt valued and respected? 

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt worthless and disrespected?

Read John 4: 1-42

  • Why did the Samaritans want Jesus to stay with them longer?
  • How do you think Jesus felt when they wanted him to stay with them longer?
    • Jesus demonstrated so much respect for this woman that the town reciprocated the action when she told them all about her interaction with Jesus
    • Jesus took time to speak to a woman which was frowned upon during this time
    • He also taught her as he would teach his disciples, which also was frowned upon during this time
    • They genuinely wanted to spend time with Jesus, not just to get food or miracles, but to hear what he had to say
    • They felt valued by Jesus and the valued him in return
  • Why was it necessary for Jesus to stay for 2 more days
    • They needed to come to their own faith by hearing his words personally
    • Spending time with Jesus personally, helps us to get to know him deeply
    • When we encounter God, we understand ourselves in relationship to God better
    • Jesus brings grace and truth to our lives, not condemnation
  • Why were the disciples questioning Jesus about talking to this woman?
    • Maybe they were surprised he was taking the time to talk to a female during this time period
    • No matter who you are or what troubled past you may have, Jesus died for you and you are highly valued because of this price he paid
    • Spend time with Jesus to remember your value
Apr 14 2021
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The Garden of Eden

Sunday Sermon Notes from 4/4/2021

The Garden of Eden held the doorway to life.

“EDEN” in Hebrew is made of three characters:

  • "Ayin"- means to look or to see
  • "Dalet"- means door that swings open
  • "Noon"- means life

EDEN- means "Look, the gateway to life". Jesus is the good shepherd and he shows us the way to life.

Read John 10:9 NIV

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture.

Read John 14:6 NIV

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Jesus is the one  and the only way to life.

Read Luke 5:17-27

  • Jesus forgives his sins right away
  • Notice his friends, we need relationships with friends that will bring us to Jesus when we need healing
  • Jesus will fix things in our lives when we go to him, no matter what he is doing
  • Everyone was focused on the paralytics disability, but Jesus was focused on what would take him away from God, his sins, and forgave them
  • Jesus is the gatekeeper and knows how to get us through the gate
  • Why did Jesus resurrect? To prove that he was different from anyone else and could do what he promised
  • We can trust Jesus’s words, he keeps his promises
  • He said he would die and return in 3 days and he did
  • When Jesus says your sins are forgiven, they are forgiven
Apr 05 2021
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Getting Closer to Jesus

Sunday Worship Notes from March 28, 2021

What are some things you do to remember Jesus throughout the week?

Here are some ideas we shared with each other during our time together:

Read Deuteronomy 8:17

  • Remembering the Lord and how he brought us out of Egypt to the Promised Land and gives us our abilities
  • Spending time in nature
  • Making crafts for others and praying about that person while making the craft
  • Reading the Scriptures out Loud

Read Isaiah 61:1-2

  • Reading the scriptures the way Jesus would have read it at the time
  • When Jesus quotes passages, return to what was said in the original contexts

Romans 5: 1-11

  • By persevering in life, we get to connect with Jesus
  • Singing spiritual songs
  • When reading scriptures try to see how God or Jesus would feel or think about the experience that is being described
  • Try to learn about the tradition, story or background of the text being read

1 Corinthians 6:19-22

  • Remembering we were bought at a price and Jesus paid that price with his own blood
  • This means we are valuable to God and therefore our actions need to be approved by Him

Other Ideas

  • Studying the bible with someone else helps me to remember who Jesus is
  • Memorizing scriptures to songs
  • Remembering Jesus’s love as we read scriptures, not just as rules to follow
  • Taking time to listen to God in silence 

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