2023-01-22 Live in Righteous Suffering - Part 2 by Pastor Chris Berg Scripture Reference: 1 Peter 3:18-22 13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

2023-01-15 Live in Righteous Suffering - Part 1 by Pastor Chris Berg Scripture Reference: 1 Peter 3:17-21 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

2023-01-15 Live in Righteous Suffering by Pastor Chris Berg Scripture Reference: 1 Peter 3:13-17 13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?  14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will  be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,  15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being  prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason  for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,  16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered,  those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.  17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will,  than for doing evil.

2023-01-08 The Believer's Responseby Pastor Chris Berg Scripture References in sermon: 1 Peter 3:8-12  8  Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love,    a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9  Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the   contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For “Whoever desires to love life   and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil   and his lips from speaking deceit;11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,   and his ears are open to their prayer.   But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

2023-01-01 The Lesson of Ahithophel by Pastor Chris Berg Scripture References in sermon: 2 Samuel 15-17 & others 1 Chronicles 27:33 33 Ahithophel was the king’s counselor…. 2 Samuel 16:23 23 Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave  was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of  Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom.  2 Samuel 12:10–12 10 From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you  have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.  11 “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I  will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give  your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to  bed with them in public view.  12 You did it secretly, but I will  make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”  2 Samuel 15:12  12 While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel,  one of David’s counselors who lived in Giloh. Soon many others also  joined Absalom, and the conspiracy gained momentum.  2 Samuel 15:31  31 When someone told David that his adviser Ahithophel was now  backing Absalom, David prayed, “O Lord, let Ahithophel give Absalom  foolish advice!”  2 Samuel 16:21–22 21 Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, for he  has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know  that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and  they will throw their support to you.”  22 So they set up a tent on the  palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and  had sex with his father’s concubines 2 Samuel 17:1–4  1 Now Ahithophel urged Absalom, “Let me choose 12,000 men to start out  after David tonight.  2 I will catch up with him while he is weary and  discouraged. He and his troops will panic, and everyone will run away.  Then I will kill only the king,  3 and I will bring all the people back  to you as a bride returns to her husband. After all, it is only one man’s  life that you seek. Then you will be at peace with all the people.”  4 This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.  2 Samuel 17:23  23 When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed,  he saddled his donkey, went to his hometown, set his affairs in order,  and hanged himself. He died there and was buried in the family tomb.  2 Samuel 23:34 (NLT)  34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai from Maacah; Eliam son of Ahithophel from Giloh;  2 Samuel 11:3 (NLT)  3 He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told,  “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.”  Ephesians 4:26–27 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,  27 and give no opportunity to the devil.  Ephesians 4:31–32  31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away  from you, along with all malice.  32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,  as God in Christ forgave you. 

2022-12-25 To Whom The Scepter Belongsby Pastor Chris BergScripture Reference: Genesis 49:8-12 8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you;    your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;    your father's sons shall bow down before you.9 Judah is a lion's cub;    from the prey, my son, you have gone up.He stooped down; he crouched as a lion    and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah,    nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,until tribute comes to him;[a]    and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.11 Binding his foal to the vine    and his donkey's colt to the choice vine,he has washed his garments in wine    and his vesture in the blood of grapes.12 His eyes are darker than wine,    and his teeth whiter than milk.

2022-12-18 Witness By Submitting in Marriage by Pastor Chris Berg Scripture Reference:  1 Peter 3:1-7 1 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some  do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives,  2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct.  3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the  putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—  4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the  imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.  5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves,  by submitting to their own husbands,  6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you  do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. 7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way,  showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs  with you[a] of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

2022-12-11 Witness By Submission To Mastersby Pastor Chris Berg Scripture Reference:  1 Peter 2:18-2518 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. 19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

2022-12-04 Witness By Submission To Governmentby Pastor Chris Berg Scripture Reference:  1 Peter 2:13-1713 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

2022-11-27 Witness By Separation by Pastor Chris Berg Scripture Reference:  1 Peter 2:11-12 11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.