Northwest Gospel Church Sermons Camas/washougal

Joshua 9:1-27 | Ben Potloff | In Joshua 9 the Nation of Israel continues its conquest of the land of Canaan. They are fresh off victories in Jericho and Ai so the Canaanites know that they have a target on their backs. Therefore they decide to band together as one to fight Joshua and Israel. Enter the Gibeonites (the Hivites). Gibeon was a town about 6 miles northwest of Jerusalem, in modern-day El-Jib. The Gibeonites knew that the Israelites had defeated Jericho and Ai and decided to act cunningly to see if they could get Israel to make a peace treaty (covenant) with them. The Gibeonites became actors in their own play and pretended to come from a foreign land. They had all the right props…moldy bread, worn-out wineskins, patched sandals, and tattered clothing.

Joshua 8:1-35 | Ben Potloff | God often uses our setbacks and failures to teach us to rely on Him more completely. In this chapter, we see Joshua grow as a leader as he learns to walk in deeper dependence upon the LORD. We see God take the very means of their earlier defeat at Ai and turn it into a brilliant strategy for victory. God’s plan to deliver his people is back on track. Joshua’s position as a leader is strengthened, and Joshua gains a new understanding of God’s steadfast mercy and sovereign will.MAIN IDEAGod blesses the obedient and curses the rebel. OUTLINEI. God is faithful and gives His people victory (vv. 1-29)II. God gives His people His Word (vv. 30-35)DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. Your army just faced its first defeat and one of your soldiers disobeyed a direct order. If you are the leader, how would you be feeling about this? How would you respond to God’s instruction in verses 1-2 ? Would you be doubtful, or hopeful?2. Compare and contrast God’s battle plan (v. 2-8) with the one used in the previo

Joshua 7:1-26 | Ben Potloff | As Israel approaches their next adversary, Ai (not to be confused with artificial intelligence), all indications are that this should be a cake walk. Picture a sense of pridefulness and a bit of arrogance here. The recommendation is to only send a small squad, maybe the JV team (don’t bother the whole group with such a small town.) Then, something goes horribly wrong. What happened, why did it all go south? What can we learn from this defeat? What can we learn from Joshua’s response? What can we learn from the consequences of sin? Let’s explore Joshua 7 together and course correct where we see areas in our own life that might need transformation.MAIN IDEARebellion kindles God’s wrath.OUTLINEI. Secret sin is known by the Lord (vv. 1-21)II. Sin must be punished to appease the Lord’s anger (vv. 22-26)DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. Read Joshua 7:2-5 Discuss some of the mistakes you can see that Joshua made.2. Read Joshua 7:6-9 Discuss Joshua’s response to this defeat. Is this your 1st respon

Joshua 5:13-6:27 | Ben Potloff | This week we have a familiar story of Joshua leading the Israelites against the fortified city of Jericho. They had just miraculously crossed over the Jordan river, set themselves apart by circumcising all the men, and now Joshua experiences a conversation with God. At this point Joshua is clearly set apart for the task of leading Israel against the city of Jericho. This is an impossible task done in an improbable way. God gave Joshua instructions to take the city, however not by force, but through obedience.MAIN IDEAVictory belongs to the Lord. OUTLINEI. The Lord fights for his people and promises complete victory (5:13-6:5)II. God’s people are to respond to His promises with obedience (6:6-21)III. Those promised salvation by faith will surely receive it (6:22-27)DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. The baton or mantle of Moses was passed to Joshua. Moses, the man who had faced Pharaoh, who had led the nation across the red sea, who had struck the ground and water came forth, who led the n

Joshua 5:1-12 | Max Janusch | It's the perfect time for the people of Israel to recommit themselves to the Lord. And what better way to do that than for all the men who had been born in the wilderness, who had never been circumcised to be circumcised. Circumcision is the outward sign for the people of Israel that they are God’s and God’s alone. For whatever reason, in the wilderness, the practice had stopped, but now is the time for this next generation to commit themselves to the Lord, outwardly and inwardly. So, all the men get the snip with new flint knives. Then the people rest, recover and celebrate the first Passover in their new land.MAIN IDEAOur covenant-keeping God produces covenant-keeping people.OUTLINEI. God establishes relationship with his people. (vv. 1-9)II. God fulfills his promises to his people. (vv. 10-12)DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. Discuss the ways in which the miracles of the Lord make possible what we read in Joshua 5:1-12 (i.e. being able to circumcise all the warrior aged men and celebrate

Joshua 4:1-24 | Ben Potloff | Do you have something that brings up memories or starts conversations with others? Maybe a tattoo, a scar, or something hanging up in the house that stands out from what you’d normally see in someone’s house? We tend to put things out on display for ourselves but usually it catches the eyes of others and sometimes leads to discussions. For the Israelites, God had instructed twelve men, one from each tribe, to take up a stone from the riverbed of the Jordan and place it where they were to camp that night. Having witnessed a miraculous display of God’s complete control over nature, God instructed Joshua to display a monument to be seen and cause people to ask, “What do those stones mean to you?” These stones were just stones, yet, when the children and later generations would see them, they would ask what they mean. “What do these represent?”MAIN IDEARemember what the Lord has done.OUTLINEI. The Lord’s miracles reveal His might (vv. 23-24)II. The Lord’s miracles are to be memoriali

Joshua 3:1-17 | Ben Potloff | Years of wandering are about to end. It is hard to imagine what’s on the minds and the hearts of the people. You might remember Joshua had been to the Promised Land forty years earlier. As a spy he came back to Moses with a positive report and encouragement to go in and possess the land, only to be shouted down. The crowd won the day, with their fearful disobedience earning them exile in the desert until that generation’s death. Joshua was a young man and now he is old. He is the new leader of God’s chosen people. There would be many battles ahead. Strong leadership would be required. God would again remind Joshua that he was not alone. It was time to cross the Jordan.MAIN IDEAGod's presence gives confidence.OUTLINEI. God’s holiness requires His people’s holiness (vv. 1-6)II. God is the all-powerful Lord of all the earth (vv. 7-17)DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. Verse 1 says Joshua rose early in the morning. Do you have a preferred time to meet with God?2. Joshua called the people to prep

Joshua 2:1-24 | Ben Potloff | Joshua 2 introduces us to someone, who is quite honestly, unexpected as someone God would use. Her name is Rahab. She is mentioned alongside towering figures of the faith such as Abraham, Moses, Noah, Gideon, and King David in Hebrews Chapter 11. How is this possible? Why is it so shocking and unexpected? It’s surprising because Rahab is a prostitute. And almost every time her name is mentioned in the Bible she is known as Rahab the prostitute. Not a religious giant as you would expect but a person most people would be ashamed to be associated with. But God saw things differently. God saw a heart of faith and someone who believed in Him wholeheartedly.MAIN IDEAThe plea for mercy brings the hope of rescue. OUTLINEI. It is a fearful thing to oppose the one true God (vv. 1-11a, 24)II. The Lord abounds in love for those who fear Him (vv. 11b-23)DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. What are your thoughts on Rahab lying to the men who came to capture the spies?2. Seeing who God used to protect the s

In this first chapter of Joshua, God calls Joshua to lead the people into the land, the land he has given them. But it will take strength, courage, and commitment to follow God’s law as well as trust that God is with them always. The Israelites will need this as they conquer the land.MAIN IDEAThe promise of God gives the courage to obey. OUTLINEI. God is faithful and keeps His promises (vv. 1-4, 6) II. Confidence in God’s plan comes from the promise of God’s presence (vv. 5, 9)III. True success requires obedience to God’s Word (vv. 7-8, 10-18)DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. Joshua 1 begins “after the death of Moses.” What was the relationship between Joshua and Moses? How might Joshua be feeling at this moment? How are we inclined to respond to a season of grief? How do we move forward from it?2. How has God prepared Joshua to assume leadership over the Israelites and to lead them into the Promised Land? How has God prepared you for the work He has called you to do? How can your group pray for and encourage you?3. Thr

Genesis 1:1 | Mike Clarensau

John 1:19-34 | Max Janusch

1 Timothy 1:12-17 | Ben Potloff | "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost" (v. 15). The good news of Christmas is that God himself, in the person of Jesus Christ, came to rescue and redeem sinners to his own eternal glory!

John 9:1-41 | Ben Potloff | "Jesus said, 'For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind'" (v. 39). Some of the sayings of Jesus can be difficult for sinful human beings to understand and—often—even harder to accept. However, the idea of judgment is critical to understanding the person and work of Jesus Christ. For the one who trusts in Christ, there is great hope in the final Judge.MAIN IDEAJesus came to make the blind see.OUTLINEI. Pain is not punishment or purposeless, but is a platform that displays God’s power (vv. 1-7) II. Rejecters of Jesus are blind and guilty, believers in Jesus have light and life (vv. 8-41)DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. What stands out to you in this passage? Why?2. What is difficult to understand or accept in this passage? How does your natural—and sinful—self want to push against the words of Jesus?3. What hope is there for sinners facing a judge like Christ?4. How does this passage give you a richer understanding of the person

Luke 19:1-10 | Ben Potloff | "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” The story of Jesus and Zacchaeus is familiar to those who grew up in the church. Zacchaeus, a wee little man and swindling tax collector, climbs because he simply must see Jesus. Despite the grumbling of the crowd, Jesus goes to his house and declares good news: good news for Zacchaeus then and good news for us today.MAIN IDEAJesus came to seek and save the lost.OUTLINEI. Jesus pursues the unworthy and despicable (vv. 1-7, 10)II. Salvation by faith leads to a changed life (vv. 6-9)DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. Are you familiar with the Sunday school story of Jesus and Zacchaeus? Before Sunday's sermon, what did you think was the main point of this story?2. What was Zacchaeus seeking? What does he find?3. What does this narrative teach you about the person, work, and mission of Christ?4. How does this passage challenge you to think and/or live differently?

Mark 10:35-45 | Ben Potloff | "But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all" (vv. 43b-44). How are the people of God supposed to interact with one another? Here, we see that they are to love and self-sacrificially serve.MAIN IDEAThe Servant is the greatest. OUTLINEI. The human heart seeks self-serving glory (vv. 35-41)II. True greatness is achieved through self-sacrificial serving (vv. 42-45)

Matthew 5:17-20 | Ben Potloff | "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them" (v. 17). In the Old Testament, God gave His people the Law and the Prophets so they would know what is required for them to be in right relationship with Him. Sadly, Israel rejected, distorted, and fell short over and over again. Something needed to be done for God's people to be forgiven of their sins and counted righteous before God! Here, we see that Christ is the one who does what sinful people could never do in the face of God's perfect law.MAIN IDEAChrist came to fulfill God’s Word.OUTLINEI. The Old Testament points to Christ (vv. 17-18)II. The Old Testament endures in Christ (vv. 19-20) DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. What stands out to you about this passage? What is challenging or confusing about what Matthew records here?2. What is the purpose of God's Law and His Prophets in the Old Testament?3. How is God's grace seen in Christ's fulfillment of the Law and

Colossians 4:7-18 | Ben Potloff | Sitting on the floor of a Roman prison and bound in chains, Paul concludes the dictation of his letter to the church in Colossae. In his usual format, Paul closes the letter by extending his greetings to the complex network of leaders connected with his churches across the Roman world. After all that Paul has written to the Colossian church, this is what he wants to leave them with. Also, this means that after all that the Holy Spirit has inspired Paul to write to His people, this is what He wants to leave His people, us, with. It’s easy to neglect these greetings and skim through them, but they matter just as much as every other word of Scripture - let’s see why!MAIN IDEAKingdom work is done together.OUTLINEI. Our call is faithful service (vv. 7-9, 12-13, 17)II. Our comfort is fellow servants (vv. 7-11, 14-15)III. Our connection is in Christ (vv. 7, 12, 16-18)DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. What does encouraging other believers’ hearts look like to you on a practical level?2. Paul as

Colossians 4:2-6 | Max Janusch | This week, after pointed instruction about the household of the follower of Jesus, Paul begins to conclude his letter, giving some final instructions before wrapping up. He puts his finger on two crucial elements of the Christian life: prayer and our behavior toward those who do not believe. In light of who Jesus is and what he’s done, how should we pray? And how should we act around those who aren’t living as though all things truly are through him and for him?MAIN IDEALet your life speak of Christ.OUTLINEI. Persistent prayer should permeate God’s people. (vv. 2-4)II. Would-be witnesses should walk wisely in the world. (vv. 5-6)DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. Think back on last week’s text (3:18-4:1). Now read this week’s short text together (4:2-6). How do Paul’s words in these five verses help us apply the instruction from last week’s passage?2. Look at all five days of “Engage the Text.” You’ll notice that all of Paul’s instructions in these verses can be traced back to the teachin

Colossians 3:18-4:1 | Luke Hendrix | Moving on from his exhortations in the beginning of Colossians 3, Paul now takes those principles and then gives instructions on what it looks like to live life in Christ in the context of the relationships we find ourselves in. He first addresses the family, the foundational relationship of any society. He speaks to wives, husbands, children, and fathers before turning his attention to servants and masters. Our lives in Christ are to reflect him fully, no matter what role we find ourselves fulfilling, living out verses twelve through seventeen in every context.DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. What role or roles in your life are you struggling the most to live out considering Paul’s call in verses 12-17?2. In the roles of wife, husband, mother, father, boss or employee, what has helped you most in living as God’s chosen ones? 3. Paul says that fathers are not to provoke their children, for those that are parents in the group, how do you do this well and where do you see yourself nee

Colossians 3:12-17 | Max Janusch | The Christian life comes with a whole new wardrobe, new habits and practices and priorities. And the best part? This new life is not lived in order to get to God, it’s lived because you have God! These new things are not ways to righteousness, they are the way of righteousness for the individual Christian and the whole Christian community.MAIN IDEANew life calls for a new way of life.OUTLINEI. Christians act different because they are different. (vv. 12-14)II. Christians overflow with thankfulness to God. (15-17)DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. What has stood out to you from this passage that is particularly encouraging, challenging, inspiring, comforting, etc.?2. What reason does Paul give for you to “put on” all these things? What does he say qualifies you for this?3. What or who do you need in order to do the things called for in this passage? Hint: look at those around you.4. Thankfulness and thanksgiving play a big part in this passage. How do you practice these things? How can y