Redeemer Weekend Sermons

Forgive Us as We Forgive
The Lord's Prayer • November 13, 2022
Teacher: Adam Barnett

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Matthew 6:12 NIV

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Matthew 6:12a NIV

Forgive us our debts.

The moment we underestimate the grossness of sin, we undervalue the forgiveness of sin.

Matthew 6:12b NIV

… as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Matthew 18:21-35 NIV

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

There are no unforgiven or unforgiving people in the kingdom of God.

1. Forgiveness is not about keeping score. It is about losing count.
2. Forgiveness is not denial or tolerance.
3. Forgiveness is not always instantaneous.
4. Forgiveness is an investment in yourself.

Lewis B. Smedes

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”

Daily Bread
The Lord's Prayer • November 6, 2022
Teacher: Dave Brown

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Matthew 6:11 NIV

Give us today our daily bread.

Martin Luther

We are beggars, that is true.

Exodus 16:3 NIV

If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!  There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve the entire assembly to death.

Exodus 16:4-5 NIV

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you.  The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.  In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.  On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

Wesley Hill

When we come back to the Lord’s Prayer after hearing Jesus’ discourse on the bread of life and His flesh given to the world for eating, it becomes hard not to see Jesus Himself as the daily bread he encourages us to pray for.

John 6:32-35 NIV

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”  Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life.  Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

John 6:53-54, 58 NIV

“Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day…This is the bread that came down from heaven.  Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Your Kingdom Come
The Lord's Prayer • October 30, 2022
Teacher: Adam Barnett

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Matthew 6:9 NIV

Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name.

Matthew 6:10 NIV

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Mark 4:11a NIV

He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you.”

The kingdom of God is the timeless reign of an eternal, sovereign God both in the hearts of His children and in the entire created universe.

The kingdom of God is already, and not yet.  

Psalm 145:13a NIV

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.

Mark 1:14-15 NIV

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said.“The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

N.T. Wright

“When Jesus spoke of God’s kingdom, he was not talking about a heaven for which he was preparing his followers, but about something that was happening in and on this earth, through his work, then through his death and resurrection, and then through the Spirit-led work to which they would be called.”

How to Pray
The Lord's Prayer • October 23, 2022
Teacher: Leanne Benton

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Matthew 6:5

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites, for they love standing in the synagogue and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have their reward in full.”

Matthew 6:6

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Matthew 6:7

“Don’t keep babbling like pagans, for they think they’ll be heard because of their many words.”

"Our Father..."
"Our Father in Heaven"
"Our Father in the Heavens"

Matthew 10:29

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.”

G Campbell Morgan (London, 1906)

"Thus as I begin to pray according to the pattern which the Lord gives me, I find at the portal of my prayer a doctrine of God which assures me that nothing is beyond His reach, and nothing is too small for His presence and attention. Oh the infinite comfort of it!”

Our = with whom we pray.
Father = to whom we pray.
In the Heavens = where He is
Hallowed be Your name = why we pray.

1. God is worthy of our praise!

2. Prayer and praise changes us.

John Ortberg

“When God is fully cherished, the heart is fully healthy, and the soul is fully whole.”

Matthew 6:33

“Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”

3. Prayer and praise go together.

PRAY.  PAUSE.  PRAISE

Psalm 8:1

Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Psalm 72:9

Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory.

Psalm 145:3

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.

1 Chronicles 16:34

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Psalm 27:13

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Psalm 33:5

He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

Psalm 34:8

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

4. Prayer and praise is a form of evangelism.

Dr. Robert Webber

Worship Evangelism strikes at the heart of a very important current issue…Evangelism does not have to be severed from worship as though there is no relationship between the two. True worship is characterized by a converting power — what the ancient church called the “real presence;" what the contemporary church calls the “manifest presence” … that presence is not a gimmick, but a result of faithfulness to a worship informed by biblical principles, historically refined liturgy, and the intimacy of the contemporary.

Prajakta David

“In the life of the church, I truly believe that mission and worship are interdependent on each other. We worship God when we engage and participate in God’s global mission by loving our neighbors well.”

Dr. Dave Kersten

“God’s glory, neighbor’s good.”

Matthew 5:16

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds AND glorify your Father in heaven.”

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Freedom in Christ
A Firm Foundation • October 16, 2022
Teacher: Dave Brown

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John 8:31-36 NIV

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Bob Goudzwaard

In its original sense, ideology means an entire system of values, conceptions, convictions and norms which are used as a set of tools for reaching a single, concrete, all-encompassing societal end.

Bob Goudzwaard

Ideology is religion’s substitute.  It says: ‘As God I create my own norms and values.  I saw what will benefit humanity.  And I allow no god above or power below to make any other law.

if only I had blank, then everything would be better.

Covenant Affirmations Paper

Covenanters have offered to one another theological and personal freedom where the biblical and historical record seems to allow for a variety of interpretations of the will and purposes of God.

Major on the majors. Minor on the minors.

Touchstones from the Past Lead to God’s Future
A Firm Foundation • October 9, 2022
Teacher: Dave Kersten

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Touchstones from the Past Lead to God’s Future

Isaiah 51:1-6 NIV

“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn; look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was only one man, and I blessed him and made him many. The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; he will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing. “Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: Instruction will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations. My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.”

1st Touchstone - Where Is It Written?

2nd Touchstone - How Goes Your Walk?

3rd Touchstone - God’s Glory, Neighbors’ Good

Whole Mission of the Church
A Firm Foundation • October 2, 2022
Teacher: Adam Barnett

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We Affirm a Commitment to the Whole Mission of the Church.

What to Expect: Friendly, encouraging people in a welcoming atmosphere. Authentic, heartfelt worship in music. Celebration of life through the sacraments of Communion and Baptism. Relevant, Bible-based teaching. Engaging experiences for children.

The WHOLE MISSION of the church requires the WHOLE CHURCH.

“Mission is the work of the whole church on behalf of the kingdom of God. It is working with Christ for peace, reconciliation, justice, and evangelism. Mission encompasses freeing the captives, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and telling the good news. It is life-long work, and it is holistic.”

The Great Commandment. Jesus replied:“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” - Matthew 22:37-40

The Great Commission. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  - Matthew 28:19-20

Fellowship of Believers
A Firm Foundation • September 25, 2022
Teacher: Adam Barnett

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We affirm the Church as a Fellowship of Believers.

1. The Church is not a holy building.
2. The Church is not an exclusive club.
3. The Church is not a weekly spiritual meeting.
4. The Church is not a moral police force.

The Church is a community of born-again believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord. In obedience to Scripture, we organize under qualified leadership, gather regularly for worship and the proclamation of the Word of God, and observe the biblical sacraments of baptism and Communion. We are united by the Holy Spirit, disciplined for holiness, and scattered throughout our community to fulfill the Great Commandment and Great Commission as missionaries to the world for God’s glory and our neighbor’s good.

1. We are a community of new creations. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. – 2 Corinthians 5:17

2. We submit to qualified leadership.They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. – Acts 2:42

3. We worship. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord.– Ephesians 5:19

Worshipper: People who truly know God, and respond from the heart, with reverence and awe, by treasuring and enjoying God, and being satisfied in Him above all other things.

4. We embrace and obey Scripture. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.– 2 Timothy 3:16

5. We revere the Sacraments. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19) and, He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).

6. We are united. Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.– Philippians 2:2

7. We are disciplined for holiness. …Train yourself to be godly.– 1 Timothy 4:7

8. We love our neighbor. Jesus said, Love your neighbor as yourself.– Mark 12:31

9. We are on a mission.We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.– 2 Corinthians 5:20

The Necessity of New Birth
A Firm Foundation • September 18, 2022
Teacher: Dave Brown

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John 3:1-9 NIV

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

John 13:16-17 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

1. Experience God’s Love
2. Love God Back
3. Love Your Neighbor

Genesis 1:26 NIV

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

Ezekiel 34:11-12; 15-16 NIV

“‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness…I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak.”

When we focus on fixing our actions instead of on falling in love, it’s as if we are trying to put our a fire by getting rid of the smoke.

Rodney Whitacre

“Even though one may be virtuous and have the Scriptures of God it is still possible to be alienated from God and closed to him…No matter how good their deeds appeared to be, these deeds separated them from God, and therefore the deeds were evil.  This evil…is the pride and satisfaction of religious people. Who think they know God and yet are far from him.”

Psalm 51:10-12, 17 NIV

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me… My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

Conscious Dependence on the Holy Spirit
A Firm Foundation • September 11, 2022
Teacher: Adam Barnett

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1. We affirm the centrality of the word of God.
2. We affirm the necessity of new birth.
3. We affirm a commitment to the whole mission of the church.
4. We affirm the church as a fellowship of believers.
5. We affirm the reality of freedom in Christ.
6. We affirm a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 13:14

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Alister McGrath

“The Trinity allows the individuality of the persons to be maintained, while insisting that each person shares in the life of the other two. An image often used to express this idea is that of a ‘community of being,’ in which each person, while maintaining its distinctive identity, penetrates the others and is penetrated by them.”

St. Augustine

“Each are in each, and in all each, and each in all, and all are one.”

The Holy Spirit makes us one with Christ (Ephesians 2:19-22).
The Holy Spirit inspires our mutual affection (1 Corinthians 15:58).
The Holy Spirit gives us common purpose (Philippians 1:27).
The Holy Spirit conforms us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-29).
The Holy Spirit is our wise Counselor (John 14:26).
The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin (John 16:7-8).
The Holy Spirit is our source of power (Acts 1:8).
The Holy Spirit guides to all truth (John 16:13).
The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).
The Holy Spirit seals our adoption as God’s children (Ephesians 1:13).
The Holy Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-27).
The Holy Spirit works to renew, sanctify, and make us holy (Romans 8:10-11).
The Holy Spirit enables us to bear good fruit (Galatians 5:16-21).
The Holy Spirit testifies to the life and teaching of Jesus Christ (John 15:26).
The Holy Spirit dwells in us (1 Corinthians 3:16).

Exodus 33:7-15 NIV

Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.”Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent. Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”

Exodus 33:15 MSG

Moses said, “If your presence doesn’t take the lead here, call this trip off right now.”