Mark 9:38-41 (NASB)
38 John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. 40 “For he who is not against us is for us. 41 “For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.
Sermon Theme: Jesus teaches that a person’s works (and words) will testify as to whether they are truly with Him or not.
1) John’s ambiguous report (9:38)
2) Jesus’ generous retort (9:39-41)
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• Sunday, April 24th, 2022
Mark 9:30-37 (NASB)
30 And from there they went out and began to go through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know about it. 31 For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.” 32 But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.
33 They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them: “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. 35 And sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And He took a child and placed him among them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”
Sermon Theme/Outline: Jesus teaches us that true greatness comes with humbling ourselves in service to others.
1) The Greatest Act of All-Time (9:30-32)
2) The Debate about Greatness (9:33-34)
3) Jesus’ Definition/Description of Greatness (9:35-37)
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• Sunday, April 17th, 2022
(All verses from the New American Standard Bible)
Matthew 11:19
19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a heavy drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ And yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
John 16:27
27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.
John 15:13-15
13 Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Revelation 3:19
19 Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.
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• Sunday, April 10th, 2022
14And when they came back to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them.15 Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him.16 And He asked them, “What are you disputing with them?”17 And one person from the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, because he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak;18 and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes stiff. And I told Your disciples so that they would cast it out, but they could not do it.”19And He answered them and *said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!”20 And they brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, the spirit immediately threw him into convulsions, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.21 And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.22 It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”23But Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible for the one who believes.”24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again!”26 And after crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!”27 But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him, and he got up.28 When He came into the house, His disciples began asking Him privately, “Why is it that we could not cast it out?”29 And He said to them, “This kind cannot come out by anything except prayer.”
Sermon Theme/Outline: Jesus teaches a critical lesson about the necessity of faith to access God’s power and accomplish what seems impossible.
I. The Lack of Faith and Spiritual Power (9:14-19)
II. The Lord’s Demonstration of Spiritual Power (9:20-27)
III. The Lesson about Prayer and Spiritual Power (9:28-29)
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• Sunday, April 03rd, 2022
Mark 9:9-13 (NASB)
9 As they were coming down from the mountain, He gave them orders not to relate to anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man rose from the dead. 10 They seized upon that statement, discussing with one another what rising from the dead meant. 11 And they asked Him, saying, “Why is it that the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12 And He said to them, “Elijah does come first and he restores all things. And yet how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it is written of him.”
Sermon Theme/Outline: Jesus reminds believers that suffering must come before glory, for Himself and for all who follow Him.
1) A Major Perplexing Question Answered (9:9-12a; 13)
2) The More Prominent Prophecy Addressed (9:12b)
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• Sunday, March 27th, 2022
Mark 9:1-8 (NASB)
1 And Jesus was saying to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” 2 Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; 3 and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified. 7 Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!” 8 All at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone.
Sermon Theme: The significance of the Transfiguration was that it unveiled the true nature of Who Jesus is — the magnificence of His glory and majesty in a brief preview of the kingdom of God.
Outline: Three facets of Christ’s Transfiguration which enlighten our view of His glorious nature and encourage us to trust, listen to, and follow Him.
1) The promise of the Kingdom (9:1)
2) A preview of the King’s Glory (9:2-6)
3) A pronouncement from the King’s Father (9:7-8)
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• Sunday, March 20th, 2022
Mark 8:34-38 (NASB)
34 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 35 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 “For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Sermon Theme/Outline: Being a disciple of Jesus Christ costs you everything, and He alone is worth it.
Outline: Three implications of following Jesus that all who follow, claim to follow, or are thinking of following need to weigh.
1) Jesus’ precautionary warnings are to be heeded (35a; 38)
2) Jesus’ probing questions should be contemplated (36-37)
3) Jesus’ precious assurance must be trusted (35b)
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• Sunday, March 13th, 2022
1 Timothy 4:6-16 (NASB)
6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. 7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. 10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. 11 Prescribe and teach these things. 12 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. 13 Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. 14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. 15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. 16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.
1) Nourished on the words of grace (6-10)
2) Exercising your gifts (11-14)
3) Be absorbed in these things (15-16)
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• Sunday, March 06th, 2022
Acts 8:1-3 (NASB)
1 Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. 3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.
Sermon Theme/Outline: Three ways which persecution can have a positive impact upon the church
1) It promotes the spreading of the Gospel (8:1a-b, 3)
2) It proves the fortitude of the leaders (8:1c)
3) It purifies the church (8:2-3)
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• Sunday, February 27th, 2022
Mark 8:34-38 (NASB)
34 And He summoned the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it benefit a person to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 For what could a person give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
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