“THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH OF THE BIBLE”

Foundations of Our Faith, part 4

A sermon outline based on Psalm 19:7-11

and Belgic Confession article 7

Hillcrest CRC, August 24, 2025, 5pm

Rev. Curt Walters

1. Without moral boundaries, life is dangerous!

2. We know the laws, but don’t always want to obey them. (Galatians 2:16)

3. The Bible is ultimate truth. (Psalm 19:7-8, 119:160, John 17:17)

• The Bible is sufficient. (Psalm 19:7-14, 2 Timothy 3:5-17
• The Bible is authoritative. (Isaiah 40:8, Acts 17:11, Hebrews 4:12)

4. What role does Scripture play in your life? (Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Psalm 19:7-11, Psalm 119)

Next steps..

• Consider using the “Stop, Look, Listen, and Respond” method to read and reflect on a passage of Scripture each day. 
• Read and reflect on Psalm 119 this week, and ask God to give you the same passion for God’s Word that the psalmist has.
• Formulate your own prayer of praise, thanking the Lord for His Word, for revealing Himself, for showing us the way of salvation, and for giving us His instructions for how to live.

“TURN THE OTHER CHEEK”

The Most Misunderstood Verses in Scripture, part 8

A sermon outline based on Matthew 5:38-42 (39) 

Hillcrest CRC, August 24, 2025, 9:30am

Rev. Curt Walters

1. Should we never resist an evil person? (Matthew 5:38-39)

2. Some Christians dismiss this as advice for wimps. (Genesis 4:23-24)

3. Others want to turn Jesus’ words into governmental policy. (Matthew 5:38-42)

4. Paul helps us understand what Jesus meant. (Romans 12:14 – 13:10)

• Never pay back evil with evil. (Romans 12:17-21)
• God gave those in authority the power to punish wrongdoers. (Romans 13:1-5)

 5. We are to live as disciples of Jesus. (Matthew 27:12-14, Luke 23:34) 

Next steps...

• Read and reflect on Colossians 3:1-17.  Don’t read it as a list of things to do but as describing the person who’s been transformed by Jesus. How does it describe you?
• Discuss how people respond to hate, evil and injustice.  When, if ever, is pacifism an appropriate response?  When, if ever, should force be used?  Why?  How?
• Forgive those who’ve hurt you, and thank the Lord that one day He will right all wrongs and bring true justice to the world.

“ALL WE NEED IS LOVE”

The Most Misunderstood Verses in Scripture, part 7

A sermon outline based on Matthew 22:37-40

Hillcrest CRC, August 17, 2025, 9:30am

Rev. Curt Walters

1. Love is the greatest commandment.

    (Matthew 22:37-40, 1 John 4:7-8)

2. Sometimes Christians lack love.

    (1 John 3:11, 4:19-21, Galatians 5:13-15)

3. Some take love too far.

    (Isaiah 5:20, John 1:14, 8:11, Romans 12:9)

4. What does true love look like? (1 John 5:18-19

• True love results in obedience.

          (John 14:15, 1 John 2:3-6, 3:6-10, 5:1-3)

• True love hates sin and evil.

          (1 John 3:6-10, 5:18-19, Romans 12:9)

• True love wants the best for others. (Galatians 5:13, 6:2, Ephesians 4:25, John 10:10, 1 Timothy 2:1-4)

 Next steps...

• Watch for someone that you can show love to this week, and don’t see it as an interruption, but as an opportunity.
• Read and reflect on Romans 12:9-21. Which of these instructions is God calling you to do?
•  Share the good news of Jesus’ love for sinners, and invite someone to have abundant and eternal life by surrendering their heart and life to Christ.

“TOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE”

A sermon outline based on 2 Peter 1:12-21 & Belgic Confession Articles 3-6

Hillcrest CRC, August 17, 2025, 5pm

Rev. Curt Walters

1. What makes the Bible a special book? (2 Peter 1:20-21, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

2. How can it be God’s Word when people wrote it? (2 Peter 1:20-21)

3. Are there any mistakes or contradictions in the Bible? (2 Peter 1:20-21)

4. Is the Bible true?

5. How was the Bible put together?

• The Old Testament . (Jeremiah 1:9, Acts 28:25, Matthew 22:42-43)
• The apocryphal books.
• The New Testament. (1 Timothy 5:18, 2 Peter 3:16, Acts 13:44, 48-49)

 6. What criteria were used?

• It had to be written by an eye-witness.
•  It had to be affirmed by the churches.
• It had to be consistent with the rest of Scripture.

 7. How long did this take?

 8. Can we trust the process? (John 16:13)

 Next steps...

• Read Psalm 119 and reflect on what it says about God’s Word and how it’s a blessing to know it and walk in it.
•  Read the Quran or book of Mormon or some other religion’s “holy book” and see how it compares to the Bible.
• Discipline yourself to read a verse, passage or chapter of Scripture every day.  Before you begin, offer this prayer “Lord, what do you want to tell me today?”

“TWO BEAUTIFUL BOOKS”

The Foundations of Our Faith, part 2

A sermon outline based on Psalm 19 & Belgic Confession article 2

Hillcrest CRC, August 10, 2025, 5pm

Rev. Curt Walters

1. God’s creation (general revelation) displays His glory. (Psalm 19:1-2)

                   It’s continuous. (Psalm 19:1-2)

                   It’s inescapable. (Psalm 19:3-4)

                   It’s obvious. (Romans 1:18-20)

                   It’s not redemptive.  

 2. God reveals Himself to us in the Bible. (special revelation).

    (1 John 4:8, 2 Thessalonians 1:6, John 12:48)

  3. Jesus is the Word. (Colossians 2:9, John 1:1)

 Next steps...

• Read, reflect on and memorize Psalm 19:1 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
• Pay attention to the world around you this week and ask the Lord what He is telling you about Himself through what you see, hear, smell, touch, etc.
• Commit to reading a portion of the Bible (no matter how short) every day and ask God what He wants to tell you through it.  Consider reading the Psalms or the Gospel of Mark.

“ARE WE COMMANDED TO TITHE?”

 The Most Misunderstood Verses in Scripture, part 6

A sermon outline based on Leviticus 27:30-34, et al.

Hillcrest CRC, August 10, 2025, 9:30am

Rev. Curt Walters

1. Where did tithing originate? 

• The Hebrew word for “tithe” in Genesis refers to a voluntary gift. (Genesis 4:3-5, 8:20, 28:20)
• Abram gave the first recorded tithe. (Genesis 14:20)
• The Lord commanded his people to give him a tenth of everything. (Leviticus 27:30-34) 

2. The first 10% tithe was given to the Levites. (Leviticus 27:30-33, Numbers 18:8-32)

3. The second 10% tithe was the festivals tithe. (Deuteronomy 12:10-18,14:22-26) 

4. This third 10% tithe was the benevolent tithe. (Deteronomy 14:28-29)

5. This didn’t include other taxes, sacrifices and offerings.

• The profit-sharing tax.  (Leviticus 19:9-10)
• Every 7 years there was to be a sabbath rest for the fields. (Exodus 23:10-11) 
• There was an annual temple tax. (Matthew 17:24)
• There were five required offerings. (Leviticus 5-7)
• There were three voluntary offerings. (Leviticus 22 and Numbers 15)

6. What does the New Testament teach about tithing?

• It says almost nothing about tithing.
• Giving is voluntary. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
• Giving is a matter of the heart. (Matthew 6:21, Mark 10:17-31)

 Next steps...

• If you were to measure your love for the Lord in terms of the percentage of your income that you give to Him, how much do you love Him?
• Read and reflect on what Paul says about giving in 2 Corinthians 8&9.
• Develop a plan for how you can increase your giving to the Lord.

“WHAT IS GOD LIKE?”

The Foundations of Our Faith, part 1

A sermon outline based on 1 Timothy 1:12-17 

and Belgic Confession article 1

Hillcrest CRC, August 3, 2025, 5pm

Rev. Curt Walters

1. A few don’t believe in God.  (Psalm 14:1)

2. What is God like?  

• Eternal. (Deuteronomy 33:27, 1 Timothy 1:17)
• Incomprehensible. (Job 11:7, 37:23, Isaiah 55:9)
•  I­nvisible. (John 1:18, 4:24, Colossians 1:15, 1 Timothy 1:17)
•  Unchangeable. (Hebrews 13:8)
• Infinite. (1 Kings 8:27, Jeremiah 23:24)
• Almighty. (Deuteronomy 3:24)
• Completely wise. (Job 12:13, Daniel 2:20, Proverbs 9:10, 1 Corinthians 1:25)
• Completely just. (Micah 6:8, Revelation 5:3-4)
• Completely good. (Psalm 100:5, 1 Timothy 1:15, James 1:17)

 Next steps...

• Make a list of God’s attributes and qualities.  Try to think of at least one descriptive word for each letter of the alphabet.
• Read Psalm 145.  Circle or write down every word that describes God.  Then offer your own prayer of praise to God for who He is, based on the words of the psalm.
• Ask people this week what they think God is like.  Then ask them how they came to  believe what they do about God.

“THE PRAYER OFFERED IN FAITH WILL HEAL”

The Most Misunderstood Verses in Scripture, part 5

A sermon outline based on James 5:13-20 (15)

Hillcrest CRC, August 3, 2025, 9:30am

Rev. Curt Walters

1. Some claim this verse supports faith healing. (Matthew 21:22, James 5:13-19)

2. Prayer is powerful. (James 5:16-18, 1 John 5:14-15)

3. Our motives are important. (James 4:2-3)

4. There are different kinds of healing. (James 5:15-16)

5. We don’t always get what we want. (James 4:2-3, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

6. Avoid the extremes. (Luke 1:37, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Next steps...

• Ask the Lord to give you greater faith in His ability to do miracles, so that you’re willing to pray bolder prayers.
• Read and reflect on 1 John 5:14–15: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”
• Surrender to the mystery of God’s will and pray that He will be glorified no matter how He answers your specific prayers.

Psalm 1

Colossians 1: 9-14