Sermons

Take Heart!

Pastor Dan Hammer

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John 16:16-33

Big Idea: Jesus Overcame The World So We Don’t Have To Be Overcome By The World

Take Heart:

1) Through Jesus our earthly sorrow turns into eternal joy (v. 16-24)

True Joy:
1) Is born out of great sorrow (v. 20-21)
2) Is secure in Jesus (v. 22)
3) Is made full through prayer (v. 23-24)

2) In Jesus we have eternal peace in our earthly tribulations (v. 25-33)

Sermon Notes

Following Faithfully In A World Of Hostility

Pastor Dan Hammer

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John 15:18 - 16:15

Big Idea: In A World Of Hostility, The Holy Spirit Empowers Us To Follow Jesus Faithfully

The Holy Spirit empowers us to:

1) Endure hostility because others are worth it (15:18-16:1)

How to handle hostility Biblically:
1) Expect it (v. 18-20)
2) Understand it (v. 19-25)
3) Depend on the Holy Spirit in it (v. 26)
4) Witness lovingly through it (v. 27)

“’You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?”
– Matthew 5:43-47

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience – among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and mind, and were by nature, children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”
– Ephesians 2:1-3

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved.”
– Ephesians 2:4-5

2) Pay the price because Jesus is worthy of it (16:1-15)

“Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.”
– Acts 5:41

Advantages of the Holy Spirit:
1) Sustaining comfort (v. 6-7)
2) Supernatural conviction (v. 8-11)
3) Spiritual guidance (v. 12-15)

Sermon Notes

The Joy Of Abiding

Pastor Dan Hammer

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John 15:1-17

Big Idea: Abiding In Christ Leads To Joyful Living And Fruit Producing Through Christ

Because Jesus Is The True Vine:
1) True life comes through being united with Christ (v. 1-11)

Jesus' 7 "I Am" statements:
1) “I Am The Bread Of Life” - John 6:35
2) “I Am The Light Of The World” - John 8:12
3) “I Am The Door” - John 10:9
4) “I Am The Good Shepherd" - John 10:11
5) “I Am The Resurrection and The Life" - John 11:25
6) “I Am The Way, The Truth, and The Life” - John 14:6
7) “I Am The True Vine” - John 15:1

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
– John 10:27-30

2) Enduring joy is experienced through abiding in Christ (v. 2-17)

Abiding in Jesus:
1) Abide in His love (v. 9-12)
2) Abide in His word (v. 7, 10, 12)
3) Abide in prayer (v. 7, 16)
4) Abide in His gospel (v. 12-13)
5) Abide in His grace (v. 2, 11, 16)

3) Spiritual fruit is produced through remaining in Christ (v. 2-17)

Literary Structure: Chiasm (John 15:8-16)

A Spiritual Fruit v. 8

B Obedience v. 10

C Love v. 9-11

X Joy v. 11

C Love v. 12-13

B Obedience v. 14

A Spiritual Fruit v. 16

Sermon Notes

Hope For The Heavy-Hearted

Pastor Dan Hammer

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John 14:15-31

Big Idea: Because Jesus Lives We Can Have Peace Today And Hope For Tomorrow

Because He Lives:

1) Help is available (v. 15-27)

“In Him (Jesus) you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.”
– Ephesians 1:13-14

How The Holy Spirit Helps Us:
1) Comforts us (v. 16-20)
2) Counsels us (v. 16-17)
3) Advocates for us (v. 16)
4) Teaches us (v. 17; 26)

“For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
- 2 Peter 1:21

5) Empowers us (v. 16-17)

2) Life is eternal (v. 18-24)

3) Peace is possible (v. 27-31)

Principles of Biblical Peace (v. 27)
1) True peace is not contingent on any earthly circumstances
2) True peace is a gracious gift from Jesus
3) There is no true peace apart from Jesus

“Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility.”
– Ephesians 2:12-14

4) There is no need to fear for those who are in Jesus

Jesus’ Invitation To Experience True Enduring Hope and Peace:
1) Believe genuinely (v. 29)
2) Surrender completely (v. 29)
3) Remember daily (v. 26)
4) Love God pre-eminently (v. 31)
5) Rest in Jesus’ victory (v. 18-19)
6) Focus eternally (v. 18-19)

Sermon Notes

Truths For Troubled Hearts

Pastor Andrew Watkins

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John 14:1-14

Big Idea: Life Is Full Of Trouble, But Your Heart Can Be Free From It

4 truths for troubled hearts...

1. Heaven is for real. (1-3)

2. Jesus is the way. (4-6)

3. Jesus is the truth. (7-11)

4. Jesus is the life. (12-14)

Sermon Notes

Marked By Love

Pastor Dan Hammer

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John 13:21-38

Big Idea: True Disciples Love Christ Pre-Eminently And Love Others Like Christ Faithfully

Marked By Love:

1) Love Christ pre-eminently over all (v. 21-30)

“Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?’ And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.”
– Matthew 26:14-16

“In Him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
– John 1:4-5

2) Love one another like Christ faithfully in all (v. 31-38)

“By this we know love, that He (Jesus) laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.”
- 1 John 3:16

“We love because He (God) first loved us. If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
– 1 John 4:19-20

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
– 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
– Romans 8:37-39

Sermon Notes

The Way Of Christ

Pastor Dan Hammer

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John 13:1-20

Big Idea: The Way Of Christ Is Loving And Living Like Christ

The Way Of Christ:

1) Love like Jesus (v. 1-4)

2) Humble ourselves like Jesus (v. 4-11)

“The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
– Matthew 20:28

Humility Principles:
1) No one is above serving
2) No one is beneath being served

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
– Philippians 2:5-11

3) Be cleansed by Jesus (v. 4-11)

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
- 1 John 1:8-9

4) Serve others like Jesus (v. 12-17)

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
- Romans 12:1

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
- Galatians 2:20

5) Believe In Jesus (v. 18-20)

Sermon Notes

The God Who Is Awesome

Pastor Dan Hammer

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Psalm 66

Big Idea: We Praise God By Proclaiming The Awesome Deeds Of God

Because God Is Awesome:

1) Come and see God’s might and salvation (v. 5-7)

2) Come and see God’s faithfulness and deliverance (v. 8-9)

“But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”
– Isaiah 43:1-3a

3) Come and see God’s sovereignty and sanctification (v. 10-15)

4) Come and see God’s power and care (v. 16-20)

Power-Unleashing Prayer:
1) Pray with a praising heart (v. 17)
2) Pray with a pure heart (v. 18)

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly to spend it on your passions.”
- James 4:3

3) Pray with an expectant heart (v. 19)

Sermon Notes

The God Who Is Worthy Of Our Worship

Pastor Dan Hammer

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Psalm 33

Big Idea: The Steadfast Love Of The Lord Propels My Worship And Provides My Hope

Why Worship?:

1) Because God’s Word stands (v. 4-9)

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever.”
– Isaiah 40:8

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
– 2 Timothy 3:16-17

2) Because God’s plans succeed (v. 10-12)

3) Because God reigns sovereignly (v. 13-18)

“The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He will.”
– Proverbs 21:1

4) Because God’s love is steadfast (v. 18-22)

Sermon Notes

The God Who Gives Me Confidence

Pastor Dan Hammer

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Psalm 27

Big Idea: Because The Lord Is My Deliverance I Can Choose Faith In The Face Of Fear With Confidence

Because The Lord Is My Light and Salvation:

1) Anchor my confidence in the Lord (v. 1-3)

“Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path.”
- Psalm 119:105

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
- John 1:1-5

2) Pursue the presence of the Lord (v. 4-6)

Pursuing the presence of the Lord
1) Dwell in the house of the Lord
2) Gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
3) Inquire in the temple of the Lord

3) Seek the face of the Lord (v. 7-12)

Seek the face of the Lord:
1) For guidance (v. 11)
2) For deliverance (v. 12)

4) Wait courageously for the Lord (v. 13-14)

Our confidence in the Lord:
1) We will see the goodness of the Lord (v. 13)
2) We can take courage in the Lord (v. 14)

Sermon Notes