Four Corners Church

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FCC Vision Statement: Building on Exposition, Centering on Christ, Dying in Community, Serving on Mission
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The Fruit of the Spirit — Elder Mark Grasso
Acts 2:1-24
Stand Alone Sermon
December 29, 2019

DEEP SHEET: Sermon Study Questions
1.   What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
2.   Do you believe that the Holy Spirit is as much God as Jesus is?
3.   What does this passage tell us about our own life?
4.   Can we truly see the “fruit of the spirit in our life?”
5.   What’s the one new thing we are going to do in 2020 to say yes to the Holy Spirit?

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FCC Vision Statement: Building on Exposition, Centering on Christ, Dying in Community, Serving on Mission
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Love In Five Directions — Pastor Lonnie D. Bell, Jr.
Philippians 2:5-11
Sermon Series: Advent 2019, Christmas Eve
December 24, 2019

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FCC Vision Statement: Building on Exposition, Centering on Christ, Dying in Community, Serving on Mission
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The Son Goes Up — Pastor Lonnie D. Bell, Jr.
Philippians 2:9-11
Sermon Series: Advent 2019, Week 4
December 22, 2019

DEEP SHEET: Sermon Study Questions
1.   What are your expectations for this life? In what ways do you find it hard to embrace humiliation before exaltation?
2.   How is the Christian life future-oriented?
3.   What events are involved in Christ’s exaltation? How is it past, present, and future?
4.   How does the lordship of Christ practically play out in the Christian life?
5.   How does the Father’s glory shine bright through the exaltation of Christ as Lord?

References: Matthew 23:12; James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6; Hebrews 12:2; Ephesians 1:21-22; Acts 5:30; Luke 24:51; Ephesians 1:20; Acts 2:33; Romans 8:34; 10:9; Isaiah 45:22-23.

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FCC Vision Statement: Building on Exposition, Centering on Christ, Dying in Community, Serving on Mission
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(NOTE:  Allow 30-90 seconds after clicking the START-arrow or Download-button for recording to begin.)

The Son Comes Down, Part 1 — Lonnie D. Bell, Jr.
Philippians 2:6-7
Sermon Series: Advent 2019, Week 2
December 8, 2019

DEEP SHEET: Sermon Study Questions
1.   How are you feasting on the doctrine of Christ this Christmas?
2.   What does this passage teach us about Christ’s pre-incarnate existence? How does this correct or strengthen your theology?
3.   To use the language of 2:4, how did Christ not look to “his own interests”?
4.    How does Christ’s example guide us away from thoughts without actions?
5.    What does it mean that Christ “emptied himself,” and how can this be misunderstood?
6.   Summarize and discuss the four sub-points regarding Christ’s Incarnation: he adds our nature, veils his glory, enters our world, and serves our needs. Which of these strikes you the most?

References: John 1:1; Hebrews 1:3; 1 John 3:17-18; James 2:15-16; 2 Corinthians 8:9; John 1:14; 5:18, 23; Colossians 1:15, 19; Hebrews 4:15; John 13:1-20; 2 Corinthians 3:18.

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FCC Vision Statement: Building on Exposition, Centering on Christ, Dying in Community, Serving on Mission
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(NOTE:  Allow 30-90 seconds after clicking the START-arrow or Download-button for recording to begin.)

The Practicality of Christmas — Lonnie D. Bell, Jr.
Philippians 2:5-11
Sermon Series: Advent 2019, Week 1
December 1, 2019

DEEP SHEET: Sermon Study Questions
1.   What do you plan to do at home with your family to celebrate Advent throughout the month of December?
2.   What are some of the rich “Christmas words” that you have heard tossed around without meaning in your interactions with people?
3.   How does Christmas in particular remind us of the importance of having a deep and robust theology?
4.   How does this passage taken in context show us that Christmas is “ethical in nature”?
5.   Why can’t a person merely hold Jesus up as an example to be imitated? How does the Spirit give us the mind of Christ?
6.   How should Christmas impact the way we see ourselves and the way we treat our fellow believers?

References: Genesis 3:15; 5:29; 22:17-18; 49:10; John 1:1, 14; Philippians 1:5; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Philippians 2:1-4; 1:27.

[1] Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. [2] And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. [3] And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.

[16] When the report was heard in Pharaoh’s house, “Joseph’s brothers have come,” it pleased Pharaoh and his servants. [17] And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Say to your brothers,‘Do this: load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan, [18] and take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you shall eat the fat of the land.’ [19] And you, Joseph, are commanded to say, ‘Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. [20] Have no concern for your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.’”

[21] The sons of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the command ofPharaoh, and gave them provisions for the journey. [22] To each and all of them he gave ac hange of clothes, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver and five changes of clothes. [23] To his father he sent as follows: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and provision for his father on the journey. [24] Then he sent his brothers away, and as they departed, he said to them, “Do not quarrel on the way.”

[25] So they went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob. [26] And they told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” And his heart became numb, for he did not believe them. [27] But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. [28] And Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

DEEP SHEET: Sermon Study Questions

 [1] Then he commanded the steward of his house, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, [2] and put my cup, the silver cup, in the mouth of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.” And he did as Joseph told him.

[6] When he overtook them, he spoke to them these words. [7] They said to him, “Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing! [8] Behold, the money that we found in the mouths of our sacks we brought back to you from the land of Canaan. How then could we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? [9] Whichever of your servants is found with it shall die, and we also will be my lord’s servants.” [10] He said, “Let it be as you say: he who is found with it shall be my servant, and the rest of you shall be innocent.” [11] Then each man quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each man opened his sack. [12] And he searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. [13] Then they tore their clothes, and every man loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

[14] When Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house, he was still there. They fell before him to the ground. [15] Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that a man like me can indeed practice divination?” [16] And Judah said,“What shall we say to my lord? What shall we speak? Or how can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; behold, we are my lord’s servants, both we and he also in whose hand the cup has been found.” [17] But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my servant. But as for you, go up in peace to your father.”

[18] Then Judah went up to him and said, “Oh, my lord, please let your servant speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant, for you are like Pharaoh himself. [19] My lord asked his servants, saying, ‘Have you a father, or a brother?’ [20] And we said to my lord, ‘We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age. His brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.’ [21] Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes on him.’ [22] We said to my lord, ‘The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.’ [23] Then you said to your servants, ‘Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall not see my face again.’

[24] “When we went back to your servant my father, we told him the words of my lord. [25] And when our father said, ‘Go again, buy us a little food,’ [26] we said, ‘We cannot go down. If our youngest brother goes with us, then we will go down. For we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ [27] Then your servant my father said to us,‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. [28] One left me, and I said, “Surely he has been torn to pieces,” and I have never seen him since. [29] If you take this one also from me, and harm happens to him, you will bring down my gray hairs in evil to Sheol.’

[30] “Now therefore, as soon as I come to your servant my father, and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life, [31] as soon as he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die, and your servants will bring down the gray hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. [32] For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.’ [33] Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers. [34] For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the evil that would find my father.”

DEEP SHEET: Sermon Study Questions

References: Genesis 37:34; 42:21-22, 28; 1 Peter 3:18; Isaiah 53:5-6.

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FCC Vision Statement: Building on Exposition, Centering on Christ, Dying in Community, Serving on Mission
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(NOTE:  Allow 30-90 seconds after clicking the START-arrow or Download-button for recording to begin.)

Back to Buy, Guided by Grace — Lonnie D. Bell, Jr.
Genesis 43:1-34
Sermon Series: Genesis
November 10, 2019

DEEP SHEET: Sermon Study Questions
1.   What are some of God’s attributes or characteristics that continue to be repeated in the Joseph story?   Which have most impacted you?
2.   How would you describe Jacob’s prayerful words to his sons?  What does it mean to say that we must remember in order to rely?
3.   In light of Calvin’s quote concerning Jacob’s actions, what does it look like to rely on God without being lazy?
4.   How does Judah anticipate Christ in this chapter?
5.   How have you seen God use negative circumstances in people’s lives to bring about repentance?
6.   What does Joseph intend to accomplish with his blatant favoritism towards Benjamin?

References: Genesis 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; Hebrews 2:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 4:3.

[1] Now the famine was severe in the land. [2] And when they had eaten the grainthat they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little food.” [3] But Judah said to him, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.’ [4] If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food. [5] But if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man aid to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’” [6] Israel said, “Whydid you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?” [7] They replied,“The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Do you have another brother?’ What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?” [8] And Judah said to Israel his father, “Send the boy with me, and we will arise and go, that we may live and not die, both we and you and also our little ones. [9] I will be a pledge of his safety. From my hand you shall require him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever. [10] If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.”

[15] So the men took this present, and they took double the money with them, and Benjamin. They arose and went down to Egypt and stood before Joseph.

[16] When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine. with me at noon.” [17] The man did as Joseph told him and brought the men to Joseph’s house. [18] And the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house, and they said, “It is because of the money, which was replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys.” [19] So they went up to the steward of Joseph’s house and spoke with him at the door of the house, [20] and said, “Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food. [21] And when we came to the lodging place we opened our sacks, and there was each man’s money in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it again with us, [22] and we have brought other money down with us to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.” [23] He replied, “Peace to you, do not be afraid. Your God andthe God of your father has put treasure in your sacks for you. I received your money.”Then he brought Simeon out to them. [24] And when the man had brought the men into Joseph’s house and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder, [25] they prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.

[26] When Joseph came home, they brought into the house to him the present that they had with them and bowed down to him to the ground. [27] And he inquired about their welfare and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?” [28] They said, “Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.” And they bowed their head sand prostrated themselves. [29] And he lifted up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!” [30] Then Joseph hurried out, for his compassion grew warm for his brother, and he sought a place to weep. And he entered his chamber and wept there. [31] Then he washed his face and came out. And controlling himself he said, “Serve the food.” [32] They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. [33] And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth. And the men looked at one another in amazement. [34] Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank and were merry with him.

DEEP SHEET: Sermon Study Questions

References: Genesis 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; Hebrews 2:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 4:3.