Longview Heights Sermons

A Savior for All Peoples, Everywhere
Mark 7:24-37
October 2, 2022

• Even if life seems stacked against you, Jesus has overcome the greatest hurdle for you
• Even if you do not think there’s room for you, Jesus lovingly invites you to the table
• Even if you think you are out of options, Jesus is more than sufficient to meet your needs
• Even if you think you are far from God, Jesus was willing to be the furthest from God for you
• Even if you have been deaf to the things of God, Jesus is willing and able to heal, restore, and renew

The mercy of Jesus is sufficient enough to reach all peoples - everywhere - through faith in His work on the cross.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• Why can we describe Jesus as the “greatest missionary who ever lived”?
• How do we see the compassion of Jesus in these stories?
• What does it say about Jesus that He was willing to pull this deaf man to the side and heal him privately?
• At the end, the people were astonished with Jesus. Why is amazement not enough? Why must we have actual faith in Jesus?

• Based on Jesus’ example, what should be our attitude towards people that we meet?

Sermon
Title: Commitment that Leads to Action
Text: Esther 5

One Set of Plans…
• Developed in prayer
• Defined by sacrifice
• Elevates people
• Results in life
Another set of plans…
• Developed in secret
• Defined by selfishness
• Exploits people
• Results in death

Reflections
• Opportunities for obedience is always a call to faith
• Delayed obedience is a dangerous strategy
• A Gospel-centered worldview is categorized by selflessness and sacrifice
• My strongest emotions can often reveal my deepest idols
• My ultimate significance is found in the Gospel

“Nothing speaks more to your significance than God the Father caring enough to be involved in
your situation and sending Jesus to lay down his life in your place and then empower you with
His Spirit for the purpose of the Kingdom.” – Landon Dowden

When Faith is Hard
Mark 6:45-56
September 18, 2022


• Jesus is not surprised by storms
• Jesus cares deeply in the midst of the storms
o In His compassion, Jesus intercedes for me
o In His grace, Jesus comes for me
• Jesus is what I need most in the storms
o Jesus often does his deepest work in the storm
o Jesus has faced the deepest storm for me
• Jesus is fully present in the storms
• Jesus desires to use storms, not just for my sake
o Rest in this truth
o Spread this truth

Because of the cross, when I struggle to see Jesus, Jesus always sees me.


Discussion Questions


• Jesus carves out time to pray alone to the Father. What an example for us! How could we follow in His example and prioritize time alone with nothing on the agenda but prayer and communion with the Father?

• Have you ever felt that you were doing the will of God obediently, but you still ended up with trouble and difficulty? How did you feel during the trouble? How did it turn out?

• If we are “in Christ” then we are united with the One who walks on water and calms the storms. How does this change how we walk through storms and difficulties this week?

• How are you encouraged by the disciples’ slowness to understand who Jesus was?

• How does God bringing us through storms help us share the Gospel with others?

Sermon
Title: Purpose Over Position
Text: Esther 4

The Story (The Conversations)
• A conversation of mourning
• A conversation of death
• A conversation of challenges
• A conversation of reality
• A conversation of identification

Reflections
• My daily obedience is God’s ordinary means for accomplishing His purposes
• Big moments can only be sustained by small, everyday, faithful decisions
• As in Esther, the needs around us are extensive
• As in Esther, the God with us is Sovereign
• As in Esther, at the cross, Jesus has fully identified and mediated on my behalf
• As in Esther, the moments before us are urgent – the Gospel demands I stand in the gap
for others

“God is no less intentional with my life than He was with Esther or Mordecai… may our lives be
gripped with gospel urgency” – Landon Dowden

“Jesus is the true and better Esther, who didn’t just risk losing an earthly palace, but lost the
ultimate heavenly one, who didn’t just risk His life, but gave His life, who didn’t say “if I perish, I
perish,” but said, “When I perish, I will perish for them, to save My people.” – Dr. Daniel Akin

Sermon
Title: A Hostile World
Text: Esther 2:19-3:15

The Story
• A cousin’s courage
• A cousin’s defiance
• A family who hunted
• An enemy’s threat
• An oblivious feast

Reflections
• The Gospel transforms the way I view people so that my goal is their good
• A Biblical, Gospel-centered worldview will always be in opposition to
society
• How people use their God-given authority is a test of character
• God’s people are not at the whims of any leader, but remain under the
the sovereignty of God alone
• When we encounter bad news, even the most faithful believer is tempted
to be anxious
• Let us never be too distracted to be numb to the brokenness around us

Obedience Seen in John the Baptist
Mark 6:14-29
September 4, 2022

Responses to Faithfulness
• Some respond in awe.
• Some respond in anger

Cost of Obedience
• Loss of a life
• Gaining a new standard of success

Submitting to Jesus as Savior leads to following the Father with complete obedience through the Holy Spirit.

• Jesus’ authority is not always received
• Jesus sends out with power and provisions
• Disciples preach repentance

Jesus’ power is not based on the response of others.

The Greatness of Jesus (Part 3)
Mark 5:21-43
August 21, 2022

• Jesus responds to the desperate
• Jesus reaches the overlooked
• Jesus reacts in His sovereign timing
• Jesus requires faith in Him alone
• Jesus reverses what sin wrecks

With gracious compassion, Jesus redeems any who cry out to Him in faith

A Royal Conflict
Esther 1:10-22

The Story
• A king’s requirement
• A queen’s refusal
• A broken reaction
• A horrible ruling

Reflections
• God’s good purposes are accomplished regardless of the actions of people
• Unrepentant sin often leads to more sin
• When accountability is low, rebellion is easy and repentance is difficult
• Only God’s Kingdom will not be shaken