Hill Country Bible Church Dripping Springs Sermons

If we only think of Jesus as gentle and merciful, we will miss how He uses offense to draw attention to our blind spots. How we react to Jesus’ confrontation will either lead to spiritual growth or spiritual atrophy. His intention is to show us the idols in our hearts that keep us from truly knowing Him. Reflection instead of rejection leads to our transformation.

We sometimes react to being offended by seeking affirmation. However, affirmation for the sake of self-appeasement can be devoid of truth. Instead of seeking counsel from someone who tells us what we think we want to hear, we need to be confronted. Confrontation grounded in the Gospel’s declaration of who we are (sinners in need of a Savior) leads to transformation. Then, we do not become just a better version of ourselves, we are made into new creations and true followers of Jesus.

In the second episode of meeting our ministry leads, we spend time with Brandi Cox, Director of Children's Ministry. Brandi has a great story that starts with accepting the Lord as a young child. She has a wonderful, encouraging story and an intriguing "bucket list item". Listen in and learn more.

Join us as we learn more about Brandi Cox, our Director of Children's Ministries

Rivalry and jealousy can cause us to take joy at another’s misfortune, especially when we view the other person as standing in the way of getting something we desire. Rather than examine the validity of our desires, we shift the blame to others. Jesus does not allow that. He exposes the fallacy of our desire, leading to reflection and repentance. The outcome is our spiritual transformation.

Culture tells us we should fulfill our hearts’ desires. Yet we rarely explore whether these are valid desires. Satan deceived Eve and Adam by getting them to think that gaining knowledge was something they wanted. Today our worldly desires are shaped by what we observe. Only by focusing on Jesus and grounding our desires in Him do we get a God-centered and authentic perspective of what our desires should be.

The Bible has many stories of deep personal insecurity leading to vulnerability. We see that in Adam and Eve. God had placed them in a garden that satisfied their every need. Yet they were vulnerable to Satan’s insinuation that God’s provision was incomplete. God’s greatness was eclipsed by their insecurity. As disciples of Jesus, we find freedom from insecurity by finding all-sufficient security in Jesus. 

“Being offended” is a prolific cultural sentiment. With all the effort made to avoid offensiveness, we ignore the fundamental question, “why is this happening?”. This is especially challenging for us as Jesus’ disciples. How do we share the Gospel which Scripture itself describes as fundamentally offensive. In this series, we will explore how understanding “why” can show us how to preach the Gospel with faithfulness and clarity.

These final verses in Matthew are intended to awaken a desire in us to make disciples for Jesus. Matthew is telling the original Jewish audience, and us, that King Jesus is Lord over all people groups.  This commissioning of His ambassadors has efficacy because Jesus has all authority.

This is a first in a series of discussions with ministry leads at Hill Country Bible Church. Jason shares when he accepted Jesus' Lordship, things he's learned over the years, and a little known talent he has. Please join us to get to know Jason a little better!