This past Sunday, Pastor Deric introduced the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5:1–2, setting the stage for Jesus’ teaching on life in the kingdom of God. As the promised King, Jesus gathers His disciples and teaches them what it means to belong to His kingdom. Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, we see a righteousness that goes beyond outward conformity, a character shaped by Christ, and a way of life that stands distinct from the values of the world. The kingdom has come in Christ, and His disciples are called to live faithfully under His rule.

Sermon Notes:

1. The Timing of the Sermon
2. The Teacher of the Sermon
3. The Theme of the Sermon

Kingdom Themes:

1. The Kingdom has come
2. Kingdom Righteousness
3. Kingdom Character
4. Countercultural Kingdom

Last Sunday, Pastor Deric preached from Psalm 77 in a sermon titled “Are You Waiting for ‘The Other Shoe to Drop’?”

Through Asaph’s honest prayer, we were reminded that faith does not require us to suppress our fears, doubts, or emotions. Instead, faith brings them honestly before God and learns to answer them by remembering who God is and what He has done. When present circumstances leave us anxious or uncertain, we can look back on God’s faithfulness, meditate on His mighty works, and trust the Shepherd who continues to lead His people even when His path cannot be seen.

Sermon Notes

1. Faith doesn’t eradicate your feelings (vv. 1–9)
2. Faith releases you to say what you need to say to God (v. 10)
3. Faith knows how to address one’s fears and doubts (vv. 11–20)

Last Sunday, Pastor Deric preached from Luke 16:19–31 on “The Rich Man and Lazarus.”

Through Jesus’ account of two men whose earthly lives and eternal destinies could not have been more different, we were reminded that God sees beyond outward appearances and knows every heart. The things this world values are not the measure God uses, and every person will ultimately stand before Him as Judge. Yet God has not left us without warning or hope. He has graciously given us His Word, which calls us to hear, repent, and trust Him while there is still time.

Sermon Notes:

1. God knows every heart (Luke 16:5)
2. God measures wealth by a different standard (vv. 19-21)
3. Jesus is the Judge of all (vv. 22-26)
4. God has given us all His saving Word (vv. 27-31)

This past Sunday, Pastor Deric continued his teaching on the biblical doctrine of hell, asking the question, “Why Hell?” This message considers the logic of eternal conscious punishment and what the reality of hell reveals about God, sin, judgment, and salvation.

We were reminded that hell confronts us with the seriousness of sin, the certainty of God’s judgment, and the holiness and justice of His character. Hell reveals our moral accountability before God, the final defeat of evil, and ultimately why the saving work of Jesus Christ at the cross is so necessary. In light of coming judgment, our only hope is to turn to Christ and trust in Him for salvation.

1. Hell means there is ultimate accountability (Romans 2:5-8)
2. Hell requires moral responsibility (Galatians 6:7-8)
3. Hell reveals that God's love cannot be separated from His holiness and justice (Romans 3:25-26)
4. Hell gives ultimate significance to a relationship with God (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9)
5. Hell means God will finally defeat evil (Revelation 20:10-15)
6.Hell explains why the cross was necessary (Romans 5:8-9)

Sermon Notes:

1. What the Bible says about hell
2. What Christians say about hell
3. Our conscience is bound to the Bible

Conclusion: Hell should drive us to Christ

Pastor Deric preached from Hebrews 11:32–40 in a sermon titled “The Exploits of Faith.”

We were reminded that biblical faith is not measured by outward success or the absence of suffering, but by steadfast trust in God through every season of life. Throughout Hebrews 11, God commends His people not because they all experienced the same earthly outcomes, but because they remained faithful whether He granted victory, called them to endure hardship, or sustained them through suffering. Their lives point us beyond temporary triumphs to the greater hope found in Jesus Christ, who fulfills every promise of God and secures our eternal inheritance.

Sermon Notes:

1. Faith is the believer’s victory in their triumphs (vv. 33–35)
2. Faith is the believer’s victory in their suffering (vv. 35–38)
3. Faith is the believer’s victory through Jesus Christ (vv. 39–40)

This past Sunday, Deric Bartlett preached from Hebrews 11:20–22 in a sermon titled “The Blessing of Faith.”