Sermon Notes

Luke 1:26 – 37 What the Lord has planned for Mary

Luke 1:38 Behold the bond-servant of the Lord, Humble and submissive

James 4:6 & 7 Be humble and submit to God

Matthew 25:14 – 30 We are Christ’s slaves and will be rewarded or condemned by our use of His talents

What if you were asked by God to do something that you thought was impossible? But if you agreed to it, you could be subject to a very painful death or at minimum being ostracized by your community and losing the relationships with people very close to you. Would you say yes or would you say no? It's easy to ask that question when those consequences aren't facing us. We're going to take a look at someone today in the Bible who was asked that very question. And we will see the response, not only just the response, but the humility to things, and sometimes there's a reaction that may or may not be justified. So I'll give you an example of personally.

We're talking about baptism today. We're going to talk about what it means to be baptized, who are the people to be baptized, and why is it we do it, and what is the mode or the mechanism for baptism. So I encourage you to come and listen to baptism talk today about baptism. I'm going to make some statements that probably you will agree with. I'm going to make a particular one statement that you're going to go, "huh?" And then I'll show you what the scriptures say about all of this and then we'll be a little more educated on why Baptists look at baptism in a particular way. So the word baptism or what does it mean? It means to dip or to immerse. So that's the meaning and that's why Baptists dip or immerse as a form of baptism and I'll flush that out a little further.

Sermon Notes

Baptize Means to dip or immerse

Baptism Is not a sacrament

Matthew 3:13 –17 Jesus our example

Matthew 28:16 – 20 Jesus commanded us to be and do

Colossians 2:9 – 14 What baptism means – shows what Christ did

Acts 8:25 – 39` An example of one person baptized

Acts 16:25 – 34 An example of a family being baptized

Some people say that it doesn't matter what you believe so long as you're sincere. I sincerely disagree with that. I think it's very important what you believe and only should you believe that you should have conviction in it. We're going to be talking about the Lord's Supper, something that was initiated during Jesus' ministry and his last Passover celebration with his disciples. It's funny in that initial celebration of what he has told us to celebrate, there are so many different views and doctrines on it. We're going to take a look at what the Bible says and take a look at some of the various views of it. But I want you to understand that conviction is important. There was a gentleman in the 13th century and the 15th century England who had a different view of what we're doing than the church. They imprisoned him for a year hoping that he would be camped. And then they put him on a stake to burn and gave him an opportunity to recount. And he did it because he believed with conviction his position on this celebration. So I'm going to encourage you to find out what the scriptures say what we're celebrating, and to talk about what other denominations and others teach so that we have a better idea of why it is we believe what we believe. So I want to start off with something that's really not per se in the Scriptures.

Sermon Notes

Lord Supper contained in Passover Seder

Matthew 26:26 – 30 Jesus initiates the Lord’s Supper

Elements are unleavened bread and wine/red grape juice

1 Corinthians 11:23 – 34 The remembrance of it as Paul wax taught by Christ

Thankfulness. There seems to be several stages in thankfulness. As parents or perhaps when we were children, our parents taught us to be polite and say thank you when somebody gave us something. And then because we hear things like to live a thankful life, it makes you more happy, and so you hear people talk about an attitude of gratitude and that they are thankful for, like I'm thankful for my family or I'm thankful for my health. But there are at least two more stages of thankfulness that the Bible talks about, that people rarely really include in their thankfulness. I encourage you to listen to this message as life.

Sermon Notes

Psalm 92:1 – 4 It is good to thank God

1 Thessalonians 5:18 It is God’s will to give thanks

Ephesians 5:20 Give thanks always

1 Chronicles 16:8 – 12 & 23 – 35 An example of praising God

The title of today's message is "Jesus Didn't Die for Our Mistakes." If that sounds a little odd to you because you've been listening to current Christian music, I encourage you to listen to today's message, especially if you think that maybe I'm wrong. I want you to see what the Bible has to say about Jesus dying, not for our mistakes, is, is to say that's the way we've always done it. I remember many decades ago our congregation was deciding whether we would keep 11 o'clock as our worship time, or move it to 10, and there were two main arguments to keep it at 11 o'clock. One was, because that's the way we always did it, the second was, well some other member of our denomination who may be traveling would get the wrong time.

Sermon Notes

Ephesians 2:1 We were dead in our trespasses and sins

Romans 3:23 All have sinned and come short of God’s glory

Romans 5:6 – 8 While we were still sinners Christ died for us

Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death

1 John 1:5 – 10 Denying our sins simply is self-delusional

Romans 10:8 – 13 Confession and belief results in salvation

Ephesians 2:4 – 9 Saved by grace through faith

As a general rule, it is wise to always look forward. And you will get people who will give you advice that we always need to be forward-thinking and forward-looking. However, there are times and exceptions, if you will, when it's a good idea to turn around and look to see what's been behind. The Scriptures will tell us a good example of why we should, on occasion, look to see what was behind.

Sermon Notes

Psalm 23:6a It is certain that goodness & lovingkindness by God will follow me always

Romans 8:28 God causes all things to work for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose

Psalm 86:13 –15 God is merciful and abundant in lovingkindness

Psalm 23:6b I will dwell in God’s house forever

John 14:1 – 6 Jesus confirms this promise

Ephesians 3:14 –19 Paul prays that we might comprehend God’s great love toward us

My wife was an excellent host or hostess when we would have a meal like let's say Thanksgiving she would make sure that everyone had a place setting and a seat at a table and Even at the last minute if we had additional guests or not people we invited late She would bring in additional tables and chairs to make sure everyone had a place to sit not only this she would also Prepare an abundance of food and she did so not because we like Leftovers because quite frankly generally I don't but we wanted to make sure that everyone felt that they could eat is They're filled without having to limit what they're eating so that it might go throughout everybody But the most important thing she did was to make sure that everybody felt invited and welcomed being there The psalmist in Psalm 23 in chapter verse 5 is going to talk about God as host Let's see how

Sermon Notes

Psalm 23:5a God prepares a table for me while my enemies see it

Song of Solomon 2:4 God brings me to His banquet hall and His banner over me is love

Psalm 23:5b God anoints my head with oil

1 Samuel 16:12 & 13 Samuel anoints David as instructed

Luke 7:44 – 46 A woman anoints Jesus’ feet with perfume and kisses

James 5:14 Anoint the sick

Psalm 45:7 Because you loved righteousness and hated wickedness God anointed you above your fellow

Psalm 23:5 c My cup overflows

Matthew 26:39 Jesus asks for “this cup” to pass from Him

Psalm 16:5 The Lord is my cup

Psalm 116:12 & 13 Because of the Lord’s benefits to me I will lift up my cup of salvation and call upon His name

It seems in today's world pronouns have come into great controversy, but in simplest level when I'm talking about myself me, I use a word I, me, my. If I'm talking about somebody who's not in my presence I will usually use he or she. So for instance if somebody's not in my presence I go he's a nice young man or she's going to graduate college. I'm talking about somebody who's not present but I'm referencing them. We're going to take a look today at Psalm 23 verse 4 that has a very significant change in what happens. The Psalmist says in the beginning, "The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. He guides me the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." But now the Psalmist is going to change and talk about two things that are very significant related to fear that most people have that's going to come across in all of our lives. So see what the two things that the Psalmist talks about that gives us comfort at afraid of?

Sermon Notes

Psalm 23:4a Moving through the valley of the shadow of death

Psalm 107:10 – 16 God saves from the shadow of death

John 3:16 Whoever believes will not perish but have eternal life

John 11:25 & 26 Jesus is the resurrection and the life

1 Corinthians 15:50 – 57 Death is defeated and we have the victory through Christ

Job 19:23 – 27 My eyes shall see my Redeemer

Psalm 23:4b Do not fear harm/evil because YOU God are with me

Romans 8:35 – 39 Nothing not even death separates us from God

Psalm 23::4c Both God’s rod and staff comfort

Micah 7:14 May He shepherd His people with His scepter

A few years ago, my wife and I and some founding members took a trip to Boston. But before we went, my wife booked a travel, I mean a tour guide. And that tour guide took us around Boston to certain historical points and other points of interest. And he was able to do so because he knew the city and he knew about the various points of interest and gave explanation. He knew what he was doing and he took us directly and we didn't have a circuitous route. We went to the most direct route, not wasting any time.

The psalmist talks about the shepherd and the shepherd is going to guide him. But this guidance is far more important than going on a trip to someplace. It's about a trip in eternity. See what the shepherd does?

Sermon Notes

Psalm 23:3a Jesus restores (returns to the original condition) my soul

Genesis 1:26 & 27 God made us in His image

Psalm 23b Jesus gives direction in the road of righteousness

Romans 1:17 The righteous live by faith

Matthew 7:13 & 14 The gate iand the road are narrow that leads to life

John 14:2 – 6 Jesus is the Way and you only get to the Father through Him

Psalm 5:8 Wants the Lord to lead him in Righteousness

Psalm 23c Seeks these things because of Jesus’ name so that the name of the Lord will not suffer

Exodus 32:7 – 14 Moses tells God that God’s name will suffer if He destroys Israel and starts over

Psalm 29:2 Give the glory due His name

We are taking a serious look at Psalm 23. The first verse the psalmist talked about that the Lord is His shepherd and hopefully He is our shepherd as well. But on the next three verses he's going to talk about the benefits of the Lord being His shepherd. We're going to take a look at the first verse of those three verses to see the provision that God has given us

Sermon Notes

Psalm 23:2a The Lord makes me lie down in green pastures

Psalm 79:13 We are the sheep of His pasture

Ezekiel 34:14 & 15 God will feed His people and give them rest

Matthew 11:28 & 29 Come to Jesus and find rest

Psalm 23:2b The Lord leads beside quite waters

John 4:10 Jesus gives living waters

John 7:37 – 39 Thirsty – come to Jesus and from your inner most will flow rivers of living water

Revelation 7:17 The Lamb will guide us to springs of the water of life

Psalm 46:1 – 9 For with God is the fountains of life