Highland Park Christian Church

SET APART: David (Mt. 21-22; II Sam. 7:12) Brian Jennings Sermon Notes [Click here for "fill in the blank" notes https://notes.subsplash.com/fill-in/view?page=vDmLV5hDtTS] Do you want to live like a king? Do it, but make sure you have the right king in mind. I Samuel 24, 26 Saul was obsessed with his little kingdom. David had God's kingdom in mind. Saul receives bad advice. God promised David, “Your kingdom will endure forever.” —2 Samuel 7:16 Jesus, a of King Discussion Questions What’s your picture of a typical king? Why does power tend to corrupt people? Review the story of Saul and David (I Samuel 24, 26). How did fear and bad advice cause Saul to act so wickedly? What feeds your fear? Are you getting bad advice? Do you realize how dangerous this is? How was David able to offer forgiveness? Who rights our wrongs? How can we trust God to do this? What did God mean when he promised David: “Your kingdom will endure forever” (II Sam. 7:16). Describe Jesus, a different kind of king? Ask God to

SET APART: Kingdom (I Sam. 15-16; I Sam. 16:7) Sermon Notes Who was Saul? Why did God choose David? 2 Kingdoms The Israelites envisioned a kingdom that conquered with military might. But God envisioned a kingdom that served with sacrificial love. Their kingdom would be adorned with the spoils of war. God’s kingdom would be adorned with the Fruit of the Spirit. Their kingdom would be feared. God’s kingdom would cast out fear. Their kingdom would be fueled by nationalistic pride. God’s kingdom would be fueled by love. Their kingdom would expand and secure its borders. God’s kingdom would have not borders. Their kingdom would be ruled by a king who would kill his enemies. God’s kingdom would be ruled by a king who would die for his enemies. How did Jesus talk about The Kingdom? Discussion Who was Saul? Why did God choose David? What’s the application you need to hear from 1 Samuel 16:7? But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord

Set Apart – The Call of Moses Exodus 3-4 4/11/21 -In what way is God calling you to obedience, but you are afraid? Read Exodus 3:1-12a Let’s summarize this really quick. God sees the suffering of the Israelites. Moses also know about their suffering. God chooses Moses to be part of His plan to rescue them and pave the way for Christ. Moses: “Who am I?” His mistake was assuming that this has anything to do with him. It’s not about you! If you want to find your purpose, quit trying to find yourself. Find God. God: I am God and I’ll be with you. This should be Enough said! God communicates the plan and the provision. That’s a lot. He doesn’t always do that. Sometimes he just says, “Obey.” But he goes above and beyond here. If God asks you to do something, He always has in mind the plan and provision, even if you don’t. Either way, Obey. Exodus 4 - a chapter of Excuses At their very best, Abraham, Moses, and David point us to the one who is perfect. Jesus was a greater Moses. Don’t miss the parallels

Set Apart April 4, 2021 Resurrection 4/4 Sermon Notes Brian Jennings Sermon Notes List some of the emotions on that first Easter morning. Why did Mary Magdalene assume the body was stolen? Why does John’s inclusion of this actually give credibility to the text? What’s the significance of John calling himself, “Beloved,” or “The disciple whom Jesus loved?” What’s the connection between living and loving? (For extra, see John 15:13 and Galatians 2:20.) Discuss: “Jesus doesn’t return from the grave with vengeance but with love.” Have you responded to God’s life and God’s love?

Holiness 3/28 Sermon Notes Brian Jennings Leviticus 11:45 I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. We’ll never know who we are until we know who God is. I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. Our greatest goal is not happiness, but holiness. Have you found specific tasks for which God has set you apart? Extra: Look up every time God says, “I am the Lord,” in the book of Leviticus and write down what you learn. (BibleGateway.com is an easy way to do this.) Discussion Qs · What has God done for you? · What does it mean to be holy? · Why do we struggle with holiness? · How will you prioritize holiness? · Have you found specific tasks for which God has set you apart?

Covenant 3/21/2021 Dave Dunson Genesis Gen. 21:1 - 22:18; Gen. 15:6

The Fall 3/14/2021 Gabrielle Green Genesis 3

Identity 3/7/2021 Jaron Scott  Ephesians 1 Discussion Questions 1. Answer the question “who are you?” How much of your answer is about you as an individual, and how much is about the relationships that form you. 2. What are some we could recognize and live out through our Christian community in the church? How could that change our experience with each other and with God? 3. What are some “normal” activities that reveal God’s nature in us? Choose one that you will intentionally recognize as a spiritual activity for at least one day. 4. What one simple act could you practice this week to “rule” God’s creation as his steward in this world.

Sermon Notes 1. Worrying is sinful and destructive. “Worry weighs a person down.” Proverbs 12:25 “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.” Matthew 13:22 2. Worry reveals our idols. Matthew 6 “Contentment is living free from the lie that having more of something, makes me something more” (Rich Villodas). 3. God wants to replace your worry with peace. James 4, I Peter 5 4. Both faith and worry are contagious. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 “But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.” Psalm 56:3 Discussion 1. How have you seen worry damage people? 2. What would y

Highland Park Christian Church Tulsa, Oklahoma February 14, 2021 Brian Jennings “We are led by the Spirit to freedom.” Core 41 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…” Romans 8:1 I. Some worship the world. James 4:1-4 Romans 8:5-6 2. Some worship the law. Romans 8:2-3 The law can point out our failures, but it can’t build character. The law can tell us what is right, but it can’t make us right with God. Romans 8:14-16 III. Some worship the Savior. James 4:7-10 2 Corinthians 3:17 Discussion Questions 1. When have you felt a rush of freedom? 2. Did you do the drawings? What did you draw (or attempt to draw)? 3. Have you worshipped the world before? What did that look like? 4. Have you worshipped the Law before? What was that like? 5. How did you come to worship the Savior?

Sermon Notes, Resources, Discussion Qs To act justly is to do what is right in God’s eyes. Isaiah 1:17 - “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” Micah 6:8 “And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8) The ARC of Justice Awareness Relationships Commitment -- Resources (Awareness) Video The book (and movie) Just Mercy provides an excellent, sobering example of what so many people of color have experienced. Parents should watch it first before deciding if their younger children should watch it. The short videos produced by Phil Vischer (former Veggie Tales guy) are fantastic. Start here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGUwcs9qJXY Books to get you started: o Under Our Skin: Getting Real about Race. Getting Free from the Fears and Frustrations that Divide Us by Benjamin Watson o Woke Church by Eric Mason (lots of solid Biblical teaching) o Let Justi

Review: -We join God’s mission. -We Sabbath in God’s presence. -We seek God’s wisdom. -We invite God to change us. “Sooner or later, the stuff we ignore will explode when we least expect it.” (Rich Villodas) James 1:13-25 The word for “transfigured” in the original Greek New Testament was metamorphoo (meh tah mor PHAW oh). It is from this same word that we get the word “metamorphosis,” a complete change of form such as from a caterpillar to a butterfly. It's used to describe Jesus on "The Mount of Transfiguration." It's only used two other times - and both times are about how God can change you! (See Romans 12:2 and II Cor. 3:7-28.) Let's review today's sermon: 1. Sin leads to death. So kill the monster while it’s small. 2. Repentance Begins With Quiet Attentiveness. So be still and pay attention to God. 3. God brings the hammer. So invite God to change you. Discussion Questions: In what three-year period of your life did you make the most changes? What was it like? What prompted those changes?

3 - Sabbath Rest (1/17/21) 2:20 Update!!! Deeply Formed Life – Redwood Tree. Roots. God gives blessings. Sabbath Rest is one of them. The Sabbath is a set aside time of unhurried delight with God. It’s an invitation to a life not dominated and distorted by overwork. Jesus remembered the Sabbath, but not in ways that the religious leaders always liked. They’d created their own rules. They were ridiculous. They even criticized Jesus for healing someone on the Sabbath. We think so often about how the Pharisees abused people with the Sabbath that we forget how God blesses people with the Sabbath. Read & Teach Mark 2:23-28 Referenced David in I Samuel 21 We need this gift because our instinct is to live stressed-out lives. Over 50 years ago, famous newscaster Walter Kronkite talked about what life would be like in homes in the future. He came really close to getting a few things right, but he missed terribly on one prediction. Watch this. We’ll put a link to the full video on our website if you want

A lot of us feel like our lives have shipwrecked. Paul understood this feeling - for real. There's good news: what's bad for our plans might be good for God's mission.