Grace Bible Church, of Seabrook, MD Sermons

Isaiah 60.15-61.3

Follow Well (1 Peter 5.1-11)

1. Practice Submission (5)  
2. Submission Teaches Humility (5b-6)
3. Humility Puts Your Heart at Rest (Trust and Control) (7a)
4. A Heart at Rest Exults in God’s Care (7b)
5. An Exultant Heart Thinks Clearly (8)
6. Clear Thinking Resists the Devil (9)
7. Resisting the Devil Leads to a Settled Spirit (10)

A settled spirit can do something the Devil can never do: Truly, freely GIVE without thought of return. The Devil can INVEST, but he can never truly GIVE.

It Is More Blessed to Give . . .
“We will give as God has prospered us (I Cor. 16:2); contributing not grudgingly nor of necessity but cheerfully to the support of the ministry, the expense of the Church, the relief of the poor and the spread of the Gospel through the world (II Cor. 9:7)”

1. Contribute Financially (1 Cor. 16.1-2)
2. Not grudgingly 
3. Not of necessity/commandment (2 Cor. 8.8)
4. Cheerfully (2 Cor. 9.7)
5. Support the Ministry
6. Meet the Church’s Physical/Administrative Needs
7. Spread the Gospel

What is God really asking of us when He commands us to forgive?

1 Peter 5.1-11

Excel at Leadership, Followership, & Community

1. Define “Church”
2. Show Up
3. Facilitate Its Functions
4. Support Its Structure
5. Make Church Life a Joyful Win/Win (1 Peter 5.1-11)

1. Shepherding is imperative! (1-2)
   1. Authoritarianism is forbidden! (3a)
   2. Being an example is essential (3b)
2. Taking the long view is required (4)

Hebrews 12.1-7

1. Embrace Life in Exile (Heb. 11.13-16)
2. Endure the Pains of Withdrawal from Sin (1 Pet. 2.11) 
3. Develop Spiritual Life Skills (Eph. 4.32-5.2)
4. Learn How to Do Good (Gal. 6.1-10)
5. Defer to Church Leadership (Heb. 13.7, 17)
   1. Remember Your Leaders (13.7)
   2. Keep “Theorizing” About What Really Drives Them
   3. Imitate Them
   4. Follow Them (“Obey” and “Submit”) (13.17)
   5. Make Church Life a Joyful “Win/Win”

Transcend the Self/Other Divide
 

Hebrews 13:7-21

Learn How to Do Good (Gal. 6.1-10)

1. Seek Restoration, not Being Right (1)
2. Carry Each Other (2-3)
3. Prove You Are the Real Deal (4)
4. Stop Enabling People (5)
5. Support Those Who Have Supported You (6)
6. Deal with Your Toxic Attitude (7-8)
7. Seize Opportunities to Do Good (9-10)

Defer to Church Leadership (Heb. 13.7, 17)

Galatians 6.1-10

1. Embrace Life in Exile (Heb. 11.13-16)
2. Endure the Pains of Withdrawal from Sin
   • Animalistic Pleasures (1 Pet. 2.11)
   • Intellectual Pride (Eph. 4.29-31)
3. Develop Spiritual Life Skills (Eph. 4.32-5.2)
4. Learn How to Do Good (Gal. 6.1-10)
   • Seek Restoration, not Being Right (1)
   • Carry Each Other (2-3)
   • Prove You Are the Real Deal (4)
   • Stop Enabling People (5)
   • Support Those Who Have Supported You (6)

Ephesians 4.17-5.2

Covenants are for us, not for God
We need healing. (Jehovah Rapha)
We need provision (Jehovah Jireh)
We NEED (Jehovah = “I AM THAT I AM”)

It’s not just the Spirit versus the Sin Nature.  It is that, but it is not just that. It is:

• Spirit (King)
• Wound (Priest)
• Sin Nature (Prophet)

Church Covenant
Having accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and thus having become members together of the Body of Christ, we do most solemnly covenant together, the Lord enabling us, that as strangers and pilgrims 

1. we will abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul (I Peter 2:11); that 
2. we will put away all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, and be kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven us (Eph. 4:31-32)

Commit to Obeying God

1. Embrace Life in Exile (Heb. 11.13-16)

2. Endure the Pains of Withdrawal from Sin

   1. Animalistic Pleasures (1 Pet. 2.11)

   2. Intellectual Pride (Eph. 4.29-31)

Haggai 2:10-23

1. Pursue Purity (10-14)
   1. Purity Requires Volitional Consent
   2. Toxicity Bypasses Volition
2. Build on the God’s Foundation (15-19)
3. Empower Point People (20-22)
4. Trust in God’s “In Christ” Promises (23)
5. Consider What’s Next

Hebrews 12

Find Courage to Persevere in God’s Work - Defeat Discouragement

1. Confess How You Really Feel (1-3)
2. Cultivate Grace-Based Strength (4a)
3. Work on the Temple (4b)
4. Bank on God’s Promises TO YOU (5-6)
5. Fulfill Your Deepest Desires (7)
6. Define Glory Accurately (8-9a)
7. Find Peace in God’s Temple (9b)

Learning to LISTEN to God When He Speaks

1. Run with Perseverance (Hebrews 12.1)
2. Endure Hard Times as Training (Hebrews 12.7)
3. Compose Yourself for the Life’s Journey (Hebrews 12.12)
4. Work Hard to Develop Holy Relationships (Hebrews 12.14)
5. Focus on God’s Eternal Grace (Hebrews 12.22)

Seven Principles That Predict Your Ability to Persevere with a Good Attitude

1. Stop Looking to the Past(Confess How You Really Feel)
2. Examine the Source of Your Strength (Cultivate Grace)
3. Rely on God’s Present Promises/Covenant (Work on the Temple)
4. Determine to Look Forward (Bank on God’s Promises TO YOU)
5. Keep Jesus at the Center (Fulfill Your Deepest Desires)
6. Stop Acting Like an Owner (Define Glory Accurately)
7. Define Value Spiritually (Find Peace in God’s Temple)

Haggai 2.1-9

1. Confess How You Really Feel (1-3)
2. Cultivate Grace-Based Strength (4a)
   • 2 Timothy 2: “Be strong in grace” by...
     • 2: “Entrusting to reliable men”
     • 3: “Enduring hardness as a soldier”
     • 7: “Reflecting on what I say”
     • 8: “Remembering Jesus”
     • 14: “Reminding others”
     • 15: “Studying to prove your authenticity”
     • 16: “Avoiding godless chatter”
     • 19: “Abstaining from wickedness”
     • 22a: “Fleeing the desires of youth”
     • 22b: “Pursuing righteousness . . .”
     • 23: “Avoiding foolish arguments”
3. Work on the Temple (4b)
4. Bank on God’s Promises TO YOU (5-6)
5. Fulfill Your Deepest Desires (7)
6. Define Glory Accurately (8-9a)
7. Find Peace in God’s Temple (9b)

Seven Principles That Predict Your Ability to Persevere with a Good Attitude

1. Stop Looking to the Past  (Confess How You Really Feel)
2. Examine the Source of Your Strength (Cultivate Grace) 
3. Rely on God’s Present Promises/Covenant (Work on the Temple)
4. Determine to Look Forward (Bank on God’s Promises TO YOU) 
5. Keep Jesus at the Center (Fulfill Your Deepest Desires)
6. Stop Acting Like an Owner (Define Glory Accurately)
7. Define Value Spiritually (Find Peace in God’s Temple)

Haggai 1.1-15

http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/solomon/gallery/download.php?id=10303

• Explore the Symbol of the Temple 
  • Admonish Biblically
  • Appreciate the Temple’s Importance
  • Absorb the Eternal Picture
  • Accept the Shocking Truth (1 Cor. 10.11)
• Evaluate Your Life (Haggai 1.1-5)
• Examine Your Heart (Haggai 1.6-11)
• Enter the Work (Haggai 1.12-15)

5 Keys to Thriving in Ministry

1. Spiritual Formation – keep learning and growing.  Stay open to new perspectives.  Have some close, transparent relationships, meet regularly, and LISTEN to them 
2. Self Care – physical exercise, limited emotional eating 
3. Emotional and Cultural Intelligence – the ability to LISTEN emotionally to others, to recognize, validate and adapt in the moment to others’ perspectives, emotions, and culture
4. Marriage and Family
5. Leadership and Management – building a diverse team.