Calling on the Name of the Lord - 7/26/09pm

Romans 10:1-21 -Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
Matthew 7:21-23 -Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord
Calling on the name of the Lord is linked to confessing Christ, and of course, salvation. However, we know from the passage in Matthew that it is not simply giving vocal acknowledgement of the Lord. Let us consider, again, some of the psalms which call upon the Lord.

Psalm 18:1-3 -David calls upon the Lord in praise
Psalm 31:9-18 -David calls upon the Lord
Psalm 105:1-7 -Giving thanks, praise, calling on the Lord
Psalm 141:1-10 -A prayer to be kept from sin
Psalm 148:17-21 -The Lord is near those who call upon Him
We see that calling on the Lord includes spoken confession, but goes far deeper. Calling on the Lord involves confessing Christ throughout all our lives, in word and in deed. Calling on the Lord involves turning to the Lord in all circumstances.

I Corinthians 1:1-3 -The church, those who call upon the Lord
II Timothy 2:14-26 -Those who call on the Lord with a pure heart
Those who truly call upon the Lord are the church, those who have been sanctified. If we wish to call upon the Lord, we must do more than simply do so vocally: we must live it.

God's Gift: Grace - 7/26/09am

II Peter 3:17-18 -Grow in grace and knowledge
As in previous weeks, we consider this passage. We have looked at growth and we have looked at knowledge. This week we consider God’s grace, by which we have salvation.
Ephesians 2:1-10 -Saved by grace, the gift of God
Titus 2:11-15 -The grace of God has appeared to all men

I Peter 1:3-16 -Salvation, grace to be given to you, obedience
I Timothy 1:8-12 -Saved and called to a holy life by His grace
Romans 6:1-23 -A life of sin is opposed to God’s gift of eternal life
After considering these verses, let us look at an example of how a gift from God works. Consider Jericho, which God gave to the Israelites.
Joshua 6:1-21 -Example of God giving a gift: Jericho

Philippians 3:1-21 -Paul’s faith, righteousness from God, and pursuit of the goal

Singing the Psalms - 7/12/09pm

Colossians 3:16-17 -Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs

Psalm 104:1-2 -Praise for God
Psalm 104:3-9 -God created all things
Psalm 104:10-23 -God’s continuing work
Psalm 104:24-30 -God’s concern for His creation
Psalm 104:31-33 -Praise for God
Psalm 104:34-35 -Victory of the Lord
Song # 513

Psalm 113:1-3 -Continual praise for God
Psalm 113:4-6 -The height and power of the Lord
Psalm 113:7-9 -The love of God for the lowly
Song # 601

Psalm 24:1-2 -All belongs to the Lord
Psalm 24:3-6 -Blessings for the righteous
Psalm 24:7-10 -The Lord of hosts
Song # 597

Psalm 118:1-4 -Give thanks for God’s mercy
Psalm 118:5-14 -Strength and refuge in the Lord
Psalm 118:15-18 -Salvation and chastening
Psalm 118:19-21 -Praise for God’s salvation
Psalm 118:22-24 -The rejected stone
Psalm 118:25-28 -Praise for God
Psalm 118:29 -God’s mercy
Song # 644

Church Growth - 7/12/09am

Individual Growth
Before we focus on the growth of the church as a collective, let us spend time considering the growth that each Christian must have.
II Peter 3:17-18 -Grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord
II Peter 1:5-11 -Add to your faith...
Luke 17:5-10 -Increase our faith
Luke 2:51-52 -Christ grew

Luke 22:31-34 -Strengthen the brethren
Hebrews 10:24-25 -Do not forsake assembling yourselves together
I Corinthians 14:20-25 -If someone comes into the assembly

Numerical Growth
It is important for the church to grow in number. Not so that we can have more impressive numbers or more money, but rather so that as many can be saved as possible.
Acts 2:46-47 -The church grows
Acts 4:1-4 -The church grows
Acts 11:22-24 -The church is strengthened and grows
Acts 12:24 -The word of God grows
Acts 19:20 -The word of the Lord grows
I Timothy 2:1-7 -The Lord desires all men to be saved

I Corinthians 9:19-23 -Become all things to all men to save some
I Corinthians 3:1-9 -Men teach, God gives the increase

Spiritual Growth
It is vitally important that everyone grows spiritually. As we grow as individuals, we can strengthen others. And as we all grow together, and as we grow in number, the church will grow spiritually as a collective.
Ephesians 4:11-16 -Different roles for the edification of the body
Acts 14:21-26 -The souls of the church are strengthened
Colossians 2:16-19 -The church grows with the increase from God

Revelation 3:1-6 -Sardis, the dead church

Christ in the Psalms - 7/5/09pm

The Lord said to my Lord
Psalm 110:1-4 -The Lord said to my Lord
Matthew 22:41-45 -Christ questions those around Him
Acts 2:29-36 -Peter gives the meaning of the passage
Hebrews 5:5-11 -A priest according to the order of Melchizadek

Prophecy of the crucifixion
Psalm 22:1-31 -Mocked,
-Pierced hands/feet
-People wagging their heads and staring
-Clothing divided and gambled for
-Thirst
-Forsaken cry
Psalm 34:20 -Bones not broken
Psalm 69:21 -Gall and vinegar offered to Him
Matthew 27:15-50 -The crucifixion

Zeal for Your house
Psalm 69:9 -Zeal for Your house
John 2:13-17 -Jesus clearing the temple

Sacrifice and offering is not desired
Psalm 40:6-8 -The Lord does not desire sacrifice and offering
Hebrews 10:1-10 -Application to Christ and the new covenant

The Rejected Stone
Psalm 118:22-24 -The stone that is rejected
I Peter 2:1-10 -Live a life based on that stone

The Importance of Knowledge - 7/5/09am

II Peter 3:17-18 -Grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord
Ephesians 2:8-10 -Grace is essential for salvation
Acts 17:10-12 -The noble Bereans, searching the scriptures

The Importance of Having Knowledge
II Peter 1:2-4 -All things that pertain to life and godliness
Acts 17:30-31 -God no longer winks at ignorance

Hosea 4:6 -My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 -Fear God and keep His commandments
Hebrews 11:6 -Rewards those who diligently seek Him
II Thessalonians 1:3-10 -Destruction for those who do not know Him

John 20:30-31 -Belief through the written word
John 14:15-24 -Love and obey Christ

The Importance of Right Knowledge
John 8:31-36 -The truth will set you free

Galatians 1:6-12 -Turning away to another gospel
II Peter 2:1-3 -False teaching
II Thessalonians 2:11-12 -Believing a lie
Ephesians 4:11-16 -Come to knowledge, so not tossed about

Romans 1:16 -The power of God unto salvation
II Timothy 3:16-17 -All scripture

The Importance of Applying Knowledge
Matthew 7:24-27 -Wise and foolish builders
James 1:23-27 -Be not only a hearer, but a doer as well

After God's Own Heart - 6/28/09pm

I Samuel 13:13-14 -God has sought a man after His own heart
Acts 13:22 -David, a man after God’s own heart
David was a man after God’s own heart. But what does this mean, exactly? We know it doesn’t mean David was perfect, but rather, we can see that it was because David continually sought the Lord.

I Samuel 19:1-18 -Saul sends men to kill David, who escapes
David, as he so often was, found himself hounded by other men. Saul, the king over Israel, has been trying to send men to kill David, who is forced to flee. There are a number of things that men would commonly do in this circumstance. What does David do? He turns to God.
Psalm 59 -David’s psalm for the occasion

I Samuel 22 -David and his followers harried by Saul
Again, we see David harried and his followers slain. We see people turning on David to win favor with the king. And yet, once again, what does David choose to do? Go to the Lord.
Psalm 63 -David’s psalm for the occasion

We must be like David. In all things, we must turn to God. Not as a last resort, but as our first action. No matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, we must turn to God.
James 5:13-18 -Prayer and psalms in all circumstances

In so doing, and in continuing to follow the Lord and set our hearts on Him, we do as David did. We are men and women after God’s own heart.
Luke 12:22-34 -Put your heart in the right place

What is your heart set after? Is it after God’s own heart? Is it set on following Him? Or is your heart set in other things?

Good Works - 6/28/09am

Ephesians 2:8-10 -Walking in good works
James 2:14-17 -Faith without works is dead

What is a good work?
The works must be good, that is, of God
Luke 18:19 -Only One is good
III John 11 -Good doers are of God
It must accomplish God’s will, using His methods and ways
Matthew 7:21-23 -Lord, Lord, did we not…?
Romans 3:8-9 -“Let us do evil that good may result”
It must be done with the right motives
Matthew 5:8 -Blessed are the pure in heart
Psalm 7:9-17 -The Lord judges hearts

Christ did good works
John 10:25-32 -Many good works He did
I Peter 2:21-22 -Follow Christ’s example
I John 2:5-6 -Walk as He walked

Good works glorify God
Matthew 5:16 -That you glorify God
I Peter 2:11-12 -That others see them and glorify God

Everyone can do good works
Colossians 1:9-1 -Congregations
I Timothy 6:7-19 -The wealthy
Titus 2:1-3 -The elderly
Titus 2:4-8 -The young
I Peter 3:1-9 -Wives, husbands, and all others

Examples of good works
Exodus 17:8-16 -Hur, and the small thing he did
Ruth 2:11-12 -Ruth, a poor widow noticed for her good works
II Kings 18:1-6 -King Hezekiah, who followed the Lord
II Kings 20:2-3 -Hezekiah, who walked faithfully
Acts 9:36-41 -Dorcas, known for generosity and good works
Philemon 4-7 -Philemon, of great faith and love for the brethren
I Thessalonians 1:1-5 -The church in Thessalonica’s work of Faith, labor of love
II Thessalonians 1:3-4 -Thessalonica’s abounding love for one another

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 -God will judge all works