Nov 19, 2023
John’s Challenge
By: Phil Peacock
Series: John the Baptist Speaks Today
John the Baptist was a powerful and popular prophet. In a relatively short span of time, hosts of people flocked to hear him preach, and many were baptized by him in the Jordan River. But John knew all along that the purpose of his ministry was not to elevate himself; it was to elevate the Messiah! The purpose of our lives must be the same.
"He must become greater; I must become less.” - John 3:30
- Why is it important that our focus upon Jesus increases?
- Why is it important that our focus on ourselves decreases?
- How does this come about in the Christian life?
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- Nov 19, 2023John’s Challenge
Nov 19, 2023John’s ChallengeBy: Phil PeacockSeries: John the Baptist Speaks TodayJohn the Baptist was a powerful and popular prophet. In a relatively short span of time, hosts of people flocked to hear him preach, and many were baptized by him in the Jordan River. But John knew all along that the purpose of his ministry was not to elevate himself; it was to elevate the Messiah! The purpose of our lives must be the same. "He must become greater; I must become less.” - John 3:30
- Why is it important that our focus upon Jesus increases?
- Why is it important that our focus on ourselves decreases?
- How does this come about in the Christian life?
- Nov 12, 2023John’s Call
Nov 12, 2023John’s CallBy: Phil PeacockSeries: John the Baptist Speaks TodayLuke 3:1-18 Last week we looked at John’s birth and the consecration of his life to be God’s forerunner to the Messiah. Today we look at the content of his call upon the lives of those who came out to the Jordan River to hear him preach.
- Be Prepared!
- Be Repentant!
- Be Transformed!
- Nov 5, 2023His Personal Consecration
Nov 5, 2023His Personal ConsecrationBy: Phil PeacockSeries: John the Baptist Speaks TodayLuke 1:13-17 Before his miraculous birth to the priestly couple Zechariah and Elizabeth, John the Baptist was set apart by God to be the forerunner to the Messiah.
- He was consecrated to be a testament to God’s grace.
- He was consecrated to usher in the joy of the Lord.
- He was consecrated to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
- He was consecrated to draw people to the Lord.
- Oct 29, 2023Shining When Answering You Calling
Oct 29, 2023Shining When Answering You CallingBy: Phil PeacockSeries: When Your Faith Can ShineOver the past several weeks, we have explored how our faith can be a shining light to the world during some difficult times of life—times of illness, fear, persecution, grief and doubt. But today we conclude our series on a positive note by considering how our faith can shine when answering God’s call upon our lives.
- Jesus wants people to make an informed decision when answering his call. Verses 57-58
- Jesus is looking for an unqualified commitment. Verse 59-60
- Jesus is looking for a timely decision. Verse 61
- Jesus is looking for a permanent decision. Verse 62
- Oct 8, 2023Shining in Times of Doubt
Oct 8, 2023Shining in Times of DoubtBy: Phil PeacockSeries: When Your Faith Can ShineEvery Christian will at times wrestle with doubt, but it is not the opposite nor the enemy of faith. Dealing with doubts constructively can help our faith to grow stronger, and can also make us a shining light in a questioning world.
- Be honest about your doubts.
- Try to define what kind of doubts you’re having.
- Seek the Lord’s help working through your doubts.
- Learn to be content with not having all the answers.
- Be patient and understanding toward others who struggle with doubt. “Be merciful to those who doubt.” Jude 1:22
- Oct 1, 2023Shining in Times of Grief
Oct 1, 2023Shining in Times of GriefBy: Phil PeacockSeries: When Your Faith Can ShineToward the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus’ good friend Lazarus died and was buried. John 11 records Jesus’ visit to the family and the subsequent miracle of resurrection as he called Lazarus from the grave. Before the miracle, though, we are given a glimpse of how faith can shine in times of grief. Grief is an unavoidable and valuable part of life. It is directly related to change and loss. People respond to it differently, but it cannot be avoided and should not be denied or minimized.
- Faith shines through grief when we allow it to turn us toward God.
- Faith shines through grief when we allow it to coexist with hope.
- Faith shines through grief when we allow it to enlarge our heart.
- Sep 24, 2023Shining in Times of Persecution
Sep 24, 2023Shining in Times of PersecutionBy: Phil PeacockSeries: When Your Faith Can ShineWe may have trouble comprehending the persecution faced by early believers, and some in other parts of the world today. While we can take positive steps to stop religious persecution, the New Testament emphasis is on glorifying God in the midst of suffering by letting our faith shine brightly. Your faith can shine if you keep a clean conscience. 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 & 1 Peter 2:19-20 Take comfort in the quality of the company you keep. Matthew 5:12 Sharpen your spiritual sight by focusing on what God is doing.
- Focus on the inward rather than the outward. (2 Cor 4:16-18)
- Focus on the eternal rather than the temporary. (Rom 8:18, Matt 5:10)
- Focus on the invisible rather than the visible. (Heb 11:1)
- Focus on God’s good plan rather than people’s evil plans. (1 Pet 1:6-7)
- Sep 17, 2023Shining in Times of Fear
Sep 17, 2023Shining in Times of FearBy: Phil PeacockSeries: When Your Faith Can ShineMatthew 14:22-32
- Life is full of fear-inducing circumstances.
- Jesus is with us as we face our fears.
- He calls us to have faith-inspired courage that can be a light to the watching world.
- The key to our faith is keeping our focus on the Savior!
- Sep 10, 2023Shining in Times of Illness
Sep 10, 2023Shining in Times of IllnessBy: Phil PeacockSeries: When Your Faith Can ShineOur new worship series focuses on the times in life when your faith can shine the brightest for God. In the gospel story of the New Testament, Jesus points out how this is often in the most difficult and challenging of circumstances. The world is watching us, and needs to see the difference our faith in Christ makes! Shining in Times of Illness - Mark 10:46-52 A blind man named Bartimaeus can teach us some valuable lessons about letting our faith shine even when dealing with great hardships and handicaps.
- View your hardships as opportunities for God’s intervention. (vv. 46-47)
- Don’t give in to negativity. (v. 48)
- Count on the compassion of Christ. (v. 49-50)
- Articulate your heart’s desires to the Savior. (v. 51)
- Accept the blessings He has to offer. (v. 52a)
- Demonstrate your gratitude by following Jesus more closely. (v. 52b)
- Sep 3, 2023Malachi: Less Than Our Best Is Not Good Enough
Sep 3, 2023Malachi: Less Than Our Best Is Not Good EnoughBy: Phil PeacockSeries: Major Truths from Minor ProphetsMalachi is the last of the Minor Prophets. God sent him to speak to the priests and people of Judah following the return from exile. In Malachi 1:6-14, he delivered the charge against them that they were giving God less than their best by sending sick and injured animals for the worship sacrifices. Though Christians no longer follow the Old Testament sacrificial system, we sometimes do the same thing when we offer less than our best to God. Reasons God Gets Less than Our Best:
- In our selfishness and laziness, we sometimes take the cheap and easy path in our relationship with God.
- We also tell ourselves that we are as good as everyone else, so we don’t try to do better.
- We forget that our worship should reflect our faith and our gratitude for all God has done.