Mid Cities OPC

On Sunday, November 20, 2011, Pastor Joe Troutman preached "Knowing the Truth--With a Capital 'T'" from Matthew 22:15-22.

"Just as you give to Caesar the taxes that are due to him, so you must worship God with the worship that is due to his holy name through Jesus Christ."

1. The Way and the Truth (vs. 15-17)

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 

2. Jesus Truly Knows (vs. 18-22)

18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.

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On Sunday, November 13, 2011, Pastor Joe Troutman preached "Invited to the Supper" from Matthew 22:1-14. 

"God calls everyone to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, but many stubbornly refuse. But others believe, and are welcomed to the feast."

1. Rejection of the Call (vs. 1-7)

1 And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. 7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. 

2. Invitation to All (vs. 8-10)

8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ 10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

3. Responsibility (vs. 11-14)

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”

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On Sunday, November 6, 2011, Pastor Joe Troutman preached, "Mustangs in the Vineyard" from Matthew 21:33-46.

"The Son of God came and was rejected and killed by his people so that sinners who believe in him are given eternal life."

1. The Vineyard and Its Harvest (vs. 33-34)

33 “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. 34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. 

2. The Wild Tenants (vs. 35-39)

35 And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 

3. The Stone of Judgment (vs. 40-46)

40 When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected

43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. 44 And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46 And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet. 

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On Sunday, October 30, 2011, Pastor Joe Troutman preached "A Tale of Two Sons" from Matthew 21:23-32.

"In fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures, Jesus Christ came to bring salvation to every sinner who repents and believes in him."

1. A Question of Authority (v. 23)

2. A Question in Response (vs. 24-27)

3. The Answer (vs. 28-32)

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On Sunday, October 23, 2011, Pastor Joe Troutman preached "The Fruit of Faith" from Matthew 21:17-22.

"Those who don't bear fruit, like the fig tree, will be cursed. But those who believe in Jesus Christ will bear fruit, especially the fruit of worship."

1. In Search of Fruit (vs. 17-19)

2. Faith Yields Fruit (vs. 20-22)

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On Sunday, October 16, 2011, Pastor Joe Troutman preached "The King Comes Home" from Matthew 21:12-17.

"The house of the King is a house of prayer and worship, and in order to make true worshipers, the King himself will be offered up as a sacrifice."

1. The True Owner of the House (vs. 12-14)

2. The Unfaithful Tenants (vs. 15-16)

3. The Children of the House (vs. 16-17)

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On Sunday, December 26, 2010, Pastor Joe Troutman preached "Christ Will Not Break a Bruised Reed" from Matthew 12:15-21.

"Jesus Christ was broken and crushed so that bruised sinners like you and me who believe in Christ can be saved from our sins."

1. A Generous God

2. A Gentle Servant

3. The Gentiles' Hope

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On Sunday, December 19, 2010, Pastor Joe Troutman preached "With Healing in His Wings" from Matthew 12:9-14.

"Jesus came, Jesus lived, Jesus died, all for the purpose of showing mercy, so that everyone who calls upon his name will be saved.

1. A Merciless Trap (vs. 9-12)

2. The Cost of Mercy (vs. 13-14)

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On Sunday, November 28, 2010, Rev. Mike Rasmussen preached "A Prayer for Enlightenment" from Ephesians 1:15-23.

15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

On Sunday, November 21, 2010, Pastor Joe Troutman preached "The Least in the Kingdom" from Matthew 11:7-19.

"Jesus says that the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than the prophet John because believers now live in the full light of the gospel."

1. A Prophet (vs. 7-10)

7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

2. The Least is Greater Than a Prophet (vs. 11-15)

11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

3. A Friend of the Least (vs. 16-19)

16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, 17 “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”