Church At The Cross

Scripture: Genesis 1:1-2:3 Key Takeaways: “Today as I read Genesis 1–2 my thoughts go to high school biology and physics. How does the biblical depiction of creation relate to the big bang theory and evolution? No doubt, Genesis 1–2 has bearing on our evaluation of these modern scientific accounts of cosmic and human origins. But a moment’s thought will jar us into remembering that this comparison would not have occurred to ancient authors and readers. It is certain that the biblical account of creation was not written to counter Charles Darwin or Stephen Hawking, but it was written in the light of rival descriptions of creation...Since God’s people were constantly tempted to worship the deities of other nations, we shouldn’t be surprised that the biblical accounts of creation were shaped in such a way as to provide a clear distinction from those of other nations.” – Tremper Longman III, How to Read Genesis + Creation is God bringing cosmos out of chaos + Creation is framing and filling + Creation

Scripture: Genesis 1:1 Key Takeaways: Psalm 33:6 Nehemiah 9:6 Revelation 4:11 + God Exists as the Eternal and Transcendent God             Aseity Hebrews 11:6 + God Exists as the Good and Personal God “There is a philosophical fissure between fundamental impersonalism or fundamental personalism. First of all, there is the difficulty of deriving ethical values from a nonpersonal source. If the universe is most fundamentally matter, time, and chance, then it becomes very hard to argue that one combination of those three is necessarily and of itself better than another combination  - for example, that life is better than death or kindness better than selfishness - in any way that gets deeper than a feeling or an unjustifiable decision… the impersonal cannot create obligation. From looking at the natural world, we can tell what is but not what should be. We can tell that hot is different from cold, drought from moisture, lightness from heaviness, and good from ill, but we cannot tell in any of thos

Scripture: Psalm 23 Key Takeaways: + A Shepherd leads by provision, presence and protection Matthew 16:31-22 + We worship the Lord because He is a divine provider + We worship the Lord because of His divine presence “Dear Jesus, how foolish of me to have called for human help when You are right here.” – Corrie Ten Boom, Hiding Place + We worship the Lord because of His divine protection + We are worshipping when we FOLLOW the Lord + LORD (all caps) = YHWH;  Lord (lower case) = Adonai  John 10:10-11 + Worship the Shepherd. Follow Jesus.

Scripture: Psalm 133 Key Takeaways: + God is pleased when His people dwell in unity John 17:20-23 + Renewal happens when God’s people dwell in unity Romans 12:16 Romans 13:8 Romans 14:3 Romans 15:7 Romans 15:14 Romans 16:16 1 Corinthians 16:20 2 Corinthians 13:12 1 Peter 5:14 + Jesus is seen when God’s people dwell in unity

Scripture: Psalm 80 Key Takeaways: + The Need for Renewal – Loss of God’s presence – Loss of Joy Psalm 32:3-4 Psalm 31:9-10 – Loss of Spiritual Power + The Prayer for Renewal Acts 3:19-20 Isaiah 30:18

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10 Key Takeaways: + Zacchaeus was Hungry ‌Luke 19:2 Luke 19:7‌ “But while nearly everyone would agree that Hitler has earned a spot in hell, the Bible says that Billy Graham has earned a spot in hell, too.” – Brady Tarr ‌Ephesians 2:1–5 Luke 19:3‌ Jeremiah 29:13 + Zacchaeus was Humble Luke 19:4 + Jesus sees us Luke 19:5 ‌+ Jesus knows us ‌Luke 19:5 Romans 10:14 + Jesus saves us ‌Luke 19:9–10 ‌+ Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see, Jesus climbed a tree to save. Luke 19:10

Scripture: Titus 2:11-14 Key Takeaways:  + A Purchased People Mark 10:45 + A Prized People Image of Micky Mantle card $13m 1 Peter 1:18–19 + A Purified People “Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to.” – Mark Twain 1 John 1:7 Hebrews 10:22 + A Passionate People

Scripture: Titus 2:11-14 Key Takeaways:   + Isaiah 9:6-7 + Matthew 1:1 + Matthew 1: 17   + Tangible Hope + Visible Glory + Unimaginable Awe   “We don’t hope that we will see Katy again. We have the hope that we KNOW we WILL see Katy again.” – Holly Rost   + Hebrews 9:27 + Matthew 24:36-42   “Joy to the world the Lord is come. Let earth receive her king. Let every heart prepare him room. And heaven and nature sing.”

Scripture: Titus 2:11-14 Key Takeaways:  + Christmas is the inbreaking of the age to come into this present age. + Mark 10:29–30 ·       Satanic age ·       Sinful age ·       Secular age ·       Sensual age ·       Selfish age + 2 Timothy 3:1–4 ·       Secular age + 2 Timothy 4:10 + Through Jesus, God brings us into the age to come and brings the age to come into us. + Galatians 1:3–5 + Romans 12:1–2 + God’s saving grace in Jesus doesn’t just forgive sin, it trains and transforms the forgiven sinner. + The Beauty of Jesus. + The Power of the Spirit. + Ezekiel 36:25–27 + 2 Corinthians 3:18 + The Loving Discipline of the Father. + Hebrews 12:5–11

Scripture: Titus 2:11-14 Key Takeaways: + Christmas is the Incarnation of the Son of God + John 1:1-2 + John 1:14 "...the supreme mystery with which the gospel confronts us...lies not in the Good Friday message of atonement, nor in the Easter Sunday message of resurrection, but in the Christmas message of Incarnation. The really staggering Christian claim is that Jesus of Nazareth was God made man - that the second person of the Godhead...took humanity without loss of deity, so that Jesus of Nazareth was as truly and fully divine as he was human. Here are two mysteries for the price of one - the plurality of persons within the unity of God, and the union of Godhead and manhood in the person of Jesus." – JI Packer, Knowing God. + 1 John 1:1-3 + Christmas is the Revelation of the Grace of God. + Christmas is the Provision of the Salvation of God. + James 2:10 + Ephesians 2:8-9 + Titus 3:4-7 + Christmas is the Invitation to Contemporary Man. + 1 Timothy 1:15

Scripture: John 6:26-40 Key Takeaways:  “Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” – CS Lewis + John 6:26 + John 6:35 + Long for Him Who is forever + John 6:27 + Ephesians 3:9-13 + 2 Corinthians 5:21 + John 6:35-40 + Ephesians 4:7-10 + Romans 5:8 + Long for Him Who is free + John 6:30-31 + Philippians 4:6 + Bread + Believe in Him + John 6:27-29 + Isaiah 26:3 + Read His Word + Psalm 119:105 + Embrace His Mission -        What is the mission of God? + Matthew 28:19-20 + Acts 1:8 + Approach His Throne + Hebrews 4:16 + Delight in Him + Isaiah 61:

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:23-27 Key Takeaways: “It was in 1980, that the legendary boxing trainer Cus D’amato discovered the young juvenile delinquent, Mike Tyson. 6 years later as a 20 year old kid, Tyson would destroy Trevor Berbick in 6 minutes to take the crown to initiate the start of his heavyweight reign. For those 6 years, Mike Tyson's daily workout involved getting up at 4am for a 5-mile jog, sparring for 3 hours, doing 2000 sit-ups, 500 pushups, 500 dips, 500 shrugs and about 30 minutes of neck bridges. He repeated this regiment 6 days a week. In short, despite training for ‘only’ six years, the quality and consistency of the work he was doing was enough to match the quantity of work that other fighters do.” ― Reemus Boxing + The Purpose of Discipline “Every action you take is a vote for the person you want to become.” - James Clear, Atomic Habits 1 Corinthians 9:23 + The Pain of Discipline Hebrews 12:11 1 Timothy 4:7-10 “People do not drift toward Holiness. Apart from grace-dr

Scripture: John 14:25-31 Key Takeaways:  John 16:33  [Got Milk Slides] + Not the Peace the World Gives Control Circumstances + His peace + The only way you can have the peace of God is to be at peace with God Romans 5:1 John 16:33 Refuse to fear Refuse counterfeit saviors Seek the Felt Experience of the Holy Spirit

Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-6 Key Takeaways: + God cares more about The Church than this nation, so order your loves. Acts 17:26 (CSB) + Order our loves according to spiritual principles and spatial proximity. + Our Theology is our relational Glue, so don’t seek unity around anything else. Graphic of Three Circles Graphic of Three Circles expanded. + The Character we display matters more than the vote we cast, so be like Jesus. + Jesus is Lord, so don’t freak out whatever happens Tuesday.

Scripture: Galatians 5:13-26 Key Takeaways: + Holy Intention 1 Peter 1:15–16 (ESV) Ephesians 1:4 (ESV) 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (ESV) 1 Thessalonians 4:7 (ESV) 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (ESV) “Repentance means turning from as much as you know of your sin to give as much as you know of yourself to as much as you know of God.” – J.I. Packer, Keeping in Step with the Spirit. “Lord, make me as holy as it is possible for a saved sinner to be.” – Robert Murray McCheyne + Holy Conflict + Holy Habits -        Treat your flesh like the enemy it is. -        Don’t give the flesh an opportunity. -        Give the Spirit every opportunity.

Scripture: Jeremiah 2:1-13 Key Takeaways: + The Essence of Idolatry Romans 1:22-25 + The Shock of Idolatry Sin against Love Sin against Logic + The Cost of Idolatry Psalm 16:11 + The Cure for Idolatry

Scripture: Romans 16:25-27 Key Takeaways: “This epistle is really the chief part of the New Testament and is truly the purest gospel. It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but also that he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul. We can never read it or ponder over it too much; for the more we deal with it, the more precious it becomes and the better it tastes.” Martin Luther. + Live for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV) + Find your strength in the Gospel. Justification Romans 3:23-25 (ESV) Propitiation Union with Christ Romans 6:4 (ESV) Adoption Romans 8:14-17 (ESV) 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 (CSB) + Help take this Gospel to the world.

Scripture: Romans 16:17-23 Key Takeaways: + Unity in the church is worth defending Romans 16:17 + Obedience strengthens our Unity Romans 16:19 + Love for the Church and its mission strengthens our unity Romans 16:3-15 Acts 17:5-9 Acts 20:4 + Gospel unity results in victory Romans 16:20 Genesis 3:15 Ephesians 6:12-15

Scripture: Romans 16:1-16 Key Takeaways: + The Church was an intimate family in Jesus. 1 Timothy 5:1-2 (ESV) + The Church included and dignified women. “Amidst contemporary denunciations of Christianity as patriarchal and sexist, it is easily forgotten that the early church was especially attractive to women… Christianity was unusually appealing because within the Christian subculture women enjoyed far higher status than did the women in the Greco-Roman world at large.” – Rodney Stark Philippians 4:2–3 (ESV) “…we see an early example of women serving as deacons in the correspondence between Pliny the younger and the emperor Trajan (AD 98–117). In a fascinating conversation, Pliny asks Trajan for advice about what he should do as the legate to the province in Bithynia with Christians. We want to think about one small piece of the conversation. Pliny refers to two Christian women, who were called ministrae in Latin. In English we can translate this word as “ministers,” and that is a good translation i

Key Takeaways: + Prayer is the Direct Communication with God. + Prayer Shapes Outcomes. Psalm 34:6 (ESV) “In essence, prayer is rebellion – rebellion against the status quo, the state of the world in its sin and fallenness. It is the absolute and undying refusal to accept as normal what is completely abnormal. It is the rejection of every agenda, every scheme, every opinion that clashes with the norms that God originally established.” – David Wells. 2 Thessalonians 3:1–2 (CSB) Acts 12:1–5 (CSB) Philemon 22 (CSB) + Prayer is Contending for the Purposes of God.  "The secret of prevailing prayer is not our eloquence, but our faith; not our fluency, but our fervency." - George Muller  "Prevailing prayer is the most powerful force in the universe. It can move mountains, heal the sick, and change the world." - Charles Spurgeon 2 Corinthians 10:3–4 (NIV) "The number one reason why prayer malfunctions in the hands of a believers is that they try to turn a wartime walkie-talkie into a domestic interc