Big Idea: God wants His people to confidently obey Him because of His power, patience, and provisions.

I. We should confidently obey God because he’s all powerful. (vv.1-9)

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15)

II. We should confidently obey God because he’s graciously patient with us. (vv.10-14a)

III. We should confidently obey God because of his loving provisions for us. (vv.14b-17)

Central Idea: What God reveals of Himself strengthens our faith and deepens our hope.

I. God reveals that He is a Holy Creator. (Exodus 3:1-6)

II. God reveals His Immanence. (Exodus 3:7-12)

III. God reveals His Name. (Exodus 3:13-15)

Repeated Message: Trust God because He is Faithful to keep his promises, save & deliver His people, & prove that he has no Rivals.

Repeated Question: Whom will you serve? The God of Israel or idols?

1. Misplaced fear is destructive and oppressive.

2. Our fear of God fuels our faithfulness in hard times.

3. God is working even when He is quiet!

Main Idea: We need Jesus to save us from religious self-deception that leads to eternal destruction

I. Our empty words towards Jesus will ultimately be exposed Matthew 7:21-23

II. Our unwise confidence in self will not stand the test of time Matthew 7:24-27

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?…

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)

III. Our humble submission to Jesus’ authority is our only hope of being saved. Matthew 7:28

“A person who claims to be God must belong to one of three categories:

First, if he claims to be God and yet in fact is not, he has to be a madman or a lunatic.Second, if he is neither God nor a lunatic, he has to be a liar, deceiving others by his lie. Third, if he is neither of these, he must be God. You can only choose one of the three possibilities. If you do not believe that he is God, you have to consider him a madman.If you cannot take him for either of the two, you have to take him for a liar.There is no need for us to prove if Jesus of Nazareth is God or not. All we have to do is find out if He is a lunatic or a liar. If He is neither, He must be the Son of God.”

(Watchman Nee, Normal Christian Faith)

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. (Luke 9:23-24)

Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” (Daniel 10:12-14)

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, the authorities, the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:11-12)

Main Idea: Keep your eyes on Jesus so that you won’t be fooled by false teachers.

1. Jesus warns us not to choose and walk the wrong path. Verse 13-14

2. Jesus warns us against following the wrong teacher. Verse 15-20

3. Jesus invites us to experience The ABUNDANT LIFE today & forever more. John 15

Big Idea: God has authority over all truth, so we must pray for wisdom from God.

1. We Must Pray For A Knowledge Of Truth vv.7-8

2. We Must Learn The Nature and Character Of Our God vv.9-11

3. We Must Pray For Our Neighbors Welfare v.12

“But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another (5:15).”

“…when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, ‘If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews (2:14)?”

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (Jn 3:16).”

I. The gospel of works fuels division precisely because it is rooted in works not faith.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder…But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire (Mt 5:21-22).”

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Mt. 5:27-28).”

“…by works of the law no one will be justified (Gal. 2:16).”

“For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.’ Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law… (3:10-11).”

“What then has become of your blessedness (joy)?”

II. The gospel fuels love for it is based on grace, not the law.

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons (Galatians 4:4-5).”

“Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you (5:2).”

III.The gospel’s demand is faith leading to love.

“For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness (5).”

“Then they said to him, ’What must we do, to be doing the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent (Jn 6:28-29).’”

“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36).”

I. Jesus is not commanding us to not make judgments, instead He is directing us how to do so redemptively…in a way that actually helps others.

II. The first step to becoming some good to others is to open your eyes to your own self.

III. The second step is to lovingly, humbly help others with their specks.

Main Idea: Seek God! Because God is TROUBLE for your trouble and promises to meet your every need.

1. Seek God! Because seeking anything else is wasting your life. Vs. 19-24

2. Seek God! Because God is capable, caring, and concerned to meet your needs. Vs. 25-30

4 Reasons not to worry:

3. Seek God! Because God is TROUBLE for your trouble. Vs. 31-34

“You are the light of the world…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (14,16).”

I. Kingdom praying is first about God, not us.

"Our Father who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven (9-10).”

“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me (Jn 6:38).”

“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done (Luke 22:42).”

II. Kingdom praying is not about us, but God is.

“Give us this day our daily bread…”

“Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors…For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (14-15).”

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil (13)."

III. Kingdom praying is centered upon God and us.