Sunday Morning Sermon Notes: 1/18/15Love you all!The Word For The Year: “hope” (part 3)Colossians 1:3–23 [NIV]1. Intro: There is something harder than losing weight…it is living out these sermons!a. It is like asking for directions: Have you ever stopped and asked someone for directions and then they said, “From here? No from your house. Then people ask the more ignorant question, ‘Do you want to know the shortest way?’ ‘Well no, I have a full tank of gas. Take me through [Atlanta].’” i. How about when you “dial the wrong number? Hello [Lynette?] ‘This ain’t Lynette.’ Sorry brother, I dialed the wrong number. ‘What number did you dial?’ …did it wring at your house…I don’t know I just picked seven numbers…” ii. “There are people who make a career out of being unhappy. I just don’t ask them anymore…cyst on back and my wife Pear tried to lance with a lid from a can of tuna fish and now it got a little infected…why did I ask…” (Ibid.)iii. I can either by hopeful or “hateful.” (Ibid.)1 Thessalonians 5:18 [***New Living Translation]No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.1 Timothy 2:12 [***New Century Version]I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who gave me strength, because he trusted me and gave me this work of serving him.b. Last week: The higher the view of JESUS, the more “hope” we will have!i. How? When we see life from JESUS’ view, “hope” comes out in various ways.2. Main Idea: When “hope” increases due to a high view of JESUS, so does our “thankfulness.” (v. 3)a. When we see JESUS “high and lifted up” in every circumstance then we change!i. Think about it…Paul was saying he was “thankful” for a community where the numbers were dying and city was going to become nothing big. 1. GOD was working even though what someone might see was death. In other words, there was a “good report.” ii. Why? Paul knew it is not the size of the community that made him “thankful,” but the size of the HOLY SPIRIT’s presence!b. How do I know I am “thankful?”i. A “thankful” heart is a praying heart! (v. 3) Remember, true “thank[s]” goes to the source.ii. A “thankful” heart rejoices in what JESUS rejoices in “faith and love.” (vv. 4–5)1. A “thankful” heart realizes two things: (1) that “faith” in JESUS is the only person we should have “faith” in and (2) when we really “love” JESUS we will really love others. (v. 4)a. “The Greek word denotes caring love, the love that counts no sacrifice to great for the one loved.” (Vaughan, 174)iii. A “thankful” heart always increases in “hope.” 1. “hope” is meant to increase because there is a storehouse of it! (v. 5) “heaven” will blow our minds!a. “A more literal translation is ‘on account of the hope’….” (Curtis Vaughan)2. The result: Where “hope” increases so does “faith and love.”a. “‘Faith’ (pistis), which is commitment to, or trust in….” (Vaughan, 174)b. This “in” is not just “in Jesus Christ.” “In this passage the Greek is different (en with a locative), pointing to Christ as the sphere in which faith operates.” (Vaughan, 174)c. Being “thankful” allows us to rest and be “‘anchored’ in Christ.” (Vaughan, 174)3. Application: I must “stop bringing [JESUS] down to the level of my unbelief.” John 14:1–3 [***New King James Version]1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Sunday Morning Sermon Notes: 1/11/15Can't wait to worship with you!The Word For The Year—“hope” (part 2)I. Main Idea: What drives “hope” is a “high view of JESUS CHRIST!” a. If we don’t see JESUS “high and lifted up” (Isaiah 6), then we will never have a bigger view than what we can see!i. Experiencing “the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16) means not allowing what we see to dictate the hand we have been dealt.2 Corinthians 5:7 [***ESV]for we walk by faith, not by sight.Hebrews 11:1 [***New King James Version]Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.1. We will always be locked into whatever happens, we will not ever think outside of what we can cognitively understand if not for a big view of JESUS. 2. Little JESUS, little view. Big JESUS, big view!ii. When we JESUS for who is truly is (not just part of what HE has done, that is, the cross) then we see a plan and purpose.iii. It’s not like the main player that GOD needs. HE doesn’t need us, we need HIM!1. For example, in Isaiah 6, “worship didn’t start when Isaiah showed up.” (David Sons)Isaiah 6:1–3 [NIV]1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." 2. A “vision of GOD leads to recognition of GOD and a recognition of us!” (David Sons) Isaiah 6:5“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”3. Then the most popular question!Isaiah 6:8–9 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9 He said, “Go and tell….”4. Important note: “The question was for anyone in Hebrew [but] Isaiah was the only one who answered.” (David Sons)b. This all sounds good Jon, but that was Isaiah, a great prophet and specially chosen.i. True, but JESUS said, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)ii. Colossae is group of nobodies. iii. There were not even Jews in this small, nothing town. Colossae was a dying community that received one of the greatest Christological writings in the all of Paul’s letters. This book has transformed many believers and exalted JESUS to the highest degree. See, JESUS gives “hope” to anyone!II. Reasons for Hope: There are heresies in this world undermining JESUS! Colossians answers all the nay-sayers! a. First reason for “hope,” a high view of JESUS always means we experience the “fullness” of GOD! i. When I say high view of JESUS I mean “the unique supremacy of Christ.” 1. In vv. 19–20 we get “fullness” of experiencing GOD completely! (“reconcile”)Colossians 1:15, 19–20; 2:92. There is nothing JESUS can’t push back, not even “the gates of hell.”3. Regardless the situation, we will always have satisfaction because we will be full of the SPIRIT!4. This “fullness” means that in any and every situation whatever GOD has set out for us will be done!ii. “fullness” of GOD includes HIS “wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:2–3 b. Second reason for “hope,” a high view of JESUS reminds us that whatever HE creates HE sustains!Colossians 1:16–17 i. c. Third reason for “hope,” a high view of JESUS reminds us that HE understands what we are going through.i. “It was in the body of his flesh that he did his redeeming work.” (Ibid.)Colossians 1:22–23 ii. “The fullness of the GODhead dwells in him somatikos, in bodily form (2:9). For all His deity, JESUS CHRIST was truly human flesh and blood.” (Ibid.)Colossians 2:9–10Hebrews 5:8though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered

Sunday Morning Sermon Notes: 1/4/2014Can't wait to worship with you!The Word for 2015 – “hope!” (part 1)1.Intro:http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/…/sdt-next-america-03-07-20…/2.The Point: The word for 2015 is “hope!” Why “hope?” a.First reason the word for 2015 is “hope,” because “hope” is what’s missing! Colossians 1:24–29 [NIV]i.As long as we have “Christ in” us, then we have “hope!” (relationships, this country, jobs, finances, singleness, dating, marriage, high school, college, retirement)Colossians 1:17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.ii.When we put JESUS “before all things,” then everything becomes stable. (Or, at least we become stable in the midst of chaos!)iii.‘hope” makes sense of everything! (vv. 25–27)1.Illus: Last night eating and Jachin tells me Russell Moore doesn’t even know who I am. Then Lynette went Spiritual!iv.What is “hope?” (HE’s Our Perfect Example; Helping Others Personally Excel)1.It is not ethereal. (otherworldly, airy, light) It is not a fuzzy word.2.“hope” is not a fantasy, dream, or something from our imagination. It is Spiritual! 1 Corinthians 13:133.“hope” is the idea, the vision, that carries emotion and faith is the action.b.Second reason the word for 2015 is “hope,” I am thoroughly convinced that this is the “battle” line for all Christians. i.John Piper calls it, “The battle against despondency is a battle to believe the promises of GOD.” (John Piper, Future Grace (Sisters, OR: Multnomah, 1995), 304.) This “battling” has been raging since the beginning!Genesis 3:1–71.When we don’t trust “the promises of God” then we see things we wouldn’t normally see.Video: Insanitized-Tim Hakwins-about ungrateful kidsTime: 1:14 –2:49 (stop when he says “poison dart”)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qunmtzN8pcgii.What is “despondency?” It is (joylessness, hopelessness, misery, dejection, unhappiness, etc..iii.How do we “battle” “despondency?” “…belief in GOD’s future grace comes by hearing the Word. …so preaching to ourselves is at heart of the battle.” (Piper, 304)1.“...even the sinless Son of God met and wrestled with this enemy.” (Ibid.)John 12:27[emphasis mine]"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.Matthew 26:37–38[emphasis mine]37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”2.“In other words, the distressing, troubling temptation was to despair and fail to carry out his mission. The flaming darts coming against him were thoughts—thoughts like, ‘It’s not worth it. It won’t work.’a.What satan wanted to produce in Jesus was a spirit of despondency that would sing, unopposed, in resignation and prompt Jesus not to carry out what His Father had given Him to do.” (Piper, 305)b.“The demonic thought that Calvary would be a meaningless black hole is so horrendous it ought to make the soul of Christ Shudder. (John 12:27)c.The first shockwaves of despondency broke the tranquility of his soul.” (Ibid.)3.So what did JESUS do? (John 12:27; 13:21) (“How JESUS fought in the dark hour” (Piper, 306)John 14:1, 271 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.a.First battle wave, when we feel “disheartened and hopeless because [someone] is going away” or we feel the future is hopeless,” we can’t give “in.” (Piper, 305) We must “Trust in God; trust also in [JESUS.]” (Piper, 306)John 14:1John 10:28–3028 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one."b.Second battle wave, JESUS “chose some close friends to be with Him.” (Piper, 307)Matthew 26:37c.Third battle wave, JESUS “opened His soul to them.” (Ibid.)Matthew 26:38d.Fourth battle wave, JESUS “asked for their intercession and partnership in the battle.” (Piper, 307)Matthew 26:39e.Fifth battle wave, JESUS “poured out HIS heart to HIS FATHER in prayer.” (v. 39) This resets our hearts to JESUS!Hebrews 12:2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.3.Application: We cannot take on this New Year without “hope!” Do you need it? Ask GOD to give it to you in abundance!Millennials: Unmoored from InstitutionsGraphic: Millennials: Unmoored from InstitutionsPEWSOCIALTRENDS.ORG