Standing Strong In Exile
To stand strong in our land of exile we must remember our true identity as God’s people, trust in His Sovereignty, and walk with wisdom and humility as we are in the world but not of it.
Daniel 1
Strangers In A Strange Land
To stand strong in trying times, we must know that God is Sovereign and faithful, even in the land of our exile.
Daniel 1:1-2
Purity in an Impure Age
The world is constantly working to press us into its mold. Jesus promises the blessing of seeing God if, in humility, we allow Him to purify our hearts through single-mindedly focusing on Him.
Matthew 5:8 ESV
You Belong
When a person is in Christ they are admitted into the body of Christ, a world wide community of faith. The next and most important step is to become a member of a local body!
1 Peter 2:9-10; 1 Peter 5:1-2; 1 Corinthians 1:2
Series Outline for The Way
Psalm 1 and 2, which together are an introduction to the whole book of Psalms, teach that God’s people will embrace His teaching and rule and thus walk in the way of blessing and life, while those who reject God’s instruction and rule will walk in the way of destruction and death.
The Way – Trusting In God’s Sovereignty
To walk in God’s Way while surrounded by those who reject it, God’s people must learn to trust in His Sovereignty, knowing He rules all things and will fulfill His Word.
Psalm 1 – 2
The Way – Walking By the Spirit
The Spirit enables us to walk in the way of righteousness, enabling us to overcome the flesh in a way the law never could, so that we can become more like Christ.
Galatians 5:16-26
The Way – Embracing God’s Rule
Those who walk in God’s Way must embrace His Kingship, submitting to His wise, loving rule in every area of life.
Psalm 2
The Way – Meditating on God’s Instruction
Those who walk the way of Jesus Christ embrace God’s Instruction, meditating on His Word day and night so they understand and obey it, knowing this is for their own good.
Psalm 1
The Power of Praise
John’s vision of a heavenly picture of praise is the model we must emulate in order to see the Power of Praise in our lives.
Revelation 4:6-11 (ESV)
Newness of Life
Christians receive newness of life through the death and resurrection of Christ, and are empowered to walk in this newness through the bonds of grace.
Romans 6:1-18 (ESV)
The Way – Jesus Christ
Jesus Himself is the Way, the promised Messiah, King, and Son who rules over God’s people to bring them into the way of blessing.
Psalm 2
The Two Ways
There are two ways, one of life and one of death, and there is a great difference between the two ways.
Psalm 1
Series Outline for The Freedom of Limits
This 7-week series looks at the meaning of True Freedom. Our culture speaks a lot about freedom but usually assumes freedom is escaping any limitations. However, true freedom is found, not in rejecting limits, but embracing the limits God has placed on us as His created image-bearers.
Freedom From Death Through the Second Adam
Adam’s sin brought us slavery to death, but Jesus, the Second Adam, has conquered and gives freedom from death to His people through the resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:20-28
Freedom, Limits, and the Nature of Sin
Sin promises freedom and fulfillment if I will reject God’s limiting commands and design, but this always produces deadly results rather than life, freedom, and flourishing.
Genesis 2:15-17; Genesis 3
Freedom – Embracing the Limits of Marriage and Sex
Freedom is found in embracing the truth that marriage is the lifelong union of one man and one woman, and it is the only proper context for human sexual activity.
Genesis 1:28; 2:20-25
Freedom: Embracing Feasting and Fasting
True freedom is found in a proper relationship with food, neither despising nor idolizing it, but rather rejoicing in it as God’s good gift which points to our ultimate need for God Himself.
Genesis 1:29-30; Genesis 2:15-17
Freedom – Embracing the Rhythm of Work and Rest
True freedom embraces the rhythm of work and rest, for body and soul, that God built into creation.
Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 2:1-3; Genesis 2:15
Embracing the Limits of Body and Soul
True freedom is found in recognizing humanity as including both body and soul, and embracing the inherent identity and limits of both.
Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 2:7
Quotes Regarding the Nature of Human Freedom
Quotes regarding the dominant understanding of our culture, which denies there is an objective human nature. The dominant belief today is that freedom and fulfillment is found by determining our own reality and nature and embracing our desires, whatever they may be.
The Key to Human Freedom
The key to human freedom is recognizing and embracing our inherent nature as we were created by God, including both the God-given dignity and limits of that nature.
Genesis 1:26-31
Series Outline for Authentic II
“Authentic II” is a study of the letter of Second John. The short letter of Second John is full of big topics, helping to define an authentic Christian faith and life.
Authentic Community
Authentic community requires in person, face to face relationships rather than those mediated by technology.
2 John 12-13
UnAuthentic
Believers must be prepared to resist unauthentic teachings that distort the Person and work of Jesus Christ and thus create a false Gospel.
2 John 7-11