Sermon20130908

2 Corinthians 10:1-6 (NASB)

1 Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ — I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!
2 I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,
4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

Introduction:

Theme: Five areas in which spiritual leaders lead so you won’t lose sight of where the war is fought

I. They lead with Christ – like character vs 1

II. They lead with candor vs. 2

III. They lead with conviction vv3-4

IV. They lead with concerted focus vs.5

V. They lead with calculation vs.6

How is the Gospel under attack
Attributes of God are misrepresented
Deity of Christ is denied
Sinfulness of man misrepresented
The Bible is under attack.

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Sermon20130901

2 Corinthians 10:1-6 (NASB)

1 Now I, Paul, myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ — I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!
2 I ask that when I am present I need not be bold with the confidence with which I propose to be courageous against some, who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,
4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.

Introduction:

Theme: Five areas in which spiritual leaders lead so you won’t lose sight of where the war is fought

I. They lead with Christ – like character vs 1

II. They lead with candor vs. 2

III. They lead with vv3-4

IV. They lead with focus vs.5

V. They lead with vs.6

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Sermon20130825

Theme: Three reasons why Christ instituted His church so we will renew our devotion to His purposes for our existence in this world.

I. Looking up – refers to our worship of God
II. Looking in – refers to our work in the body
III. Looking out – refers to our witness in the world

Application:

A. Two Areas for Special Consideration:
1. Developing church leaders
2. Reaching our community

a. What the Bible teaches

b. Where we are struggling

c. What we can do about it

B. A Hopeful Future
Where are we heading? How will we get there?

1. Carefully identify the target group to aim at.
a. College Students
b. Children

2. Prayerfully implement a strategic outreach plan

a. College Outreach – CSUN
b. Consistent and aggressive in outreach to children
c. Sustained ministry to youth group age.
d. Developing members to sustain these ministries
e. Curtail traditional ministries.

3. Faithfully inquire as to every members role in contributing to is plan

a. Spiritual Gifts
b. Stretching Individuals

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Sermon20130818

Theme: Three reasons why Christ instituted His church so we will renew our devotion to His purposes for our existence in this world.

I. Looking up – refers to our worship of God
II. Looking in – refers to our work in the body
III. Looking out – refers to our witness in the world

A. A local or community focus
B. A global or missions focus

Application: Two Areas for Special Consideration:
A. Developing leaders
1. What the Bible teaches

2. Where we are struggling

3. What we can do about it

B. Reaching our community
1. What the Bible teaches

2. Where we are struggling

3. What we can do about it

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Sermon20130811

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Sermon20130804

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Sermon20130728

Theme : Three roles a faithful ministry partner fills so you will understand his importance in ministry.

Acts 9:27 (NASB)
27 But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.

I. He has your back

Acts 11:22-30 (NASB)
22 The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.
23 Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;
24 for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord.
25 And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul;
26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
27 Now at this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28 One of them named Agabus stood up and began to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the reign of Claudius.
29 And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea.
30 And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.
Acts 12:25 (NASB)
12 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark.

II. He serves at your side
A. The Ministry of Discipleship
B. The Ministry of

Acts 13-15

III. He goes out before you
A. He accepts the role he has been called to.
B. He defers to the role he must come in to.

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Sermon20130721

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Sermon20130714

2 Corinthians 8:16-24 (NASB)
16 But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus.
17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord.
18 We have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches;
19 and not only this, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our readiness,
20 taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift;
21 for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
22 We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you.
23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ.
24 Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you.

Theme: Three stages in the proper administration of Christian contributions so you will have confidence in the stewardship of your gifts.

I. Commencing the gift vv. 16-17
A. God is the primary initiator
B. God works through men to commence the giving

II. Collecting and delivering the gift vv. 18-23
A. Accountability
B. Integrity
C. Reputations matter

III. Completing the gift v.24

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Sermon20130707

2 Corinthians 8:1-15 (NASB)
1 Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,
2 that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.
3 For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord,
4 begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints,
5 and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.
6 So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well.
7 But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.
8 I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
10 I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it.
11 But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability.
12 For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.
13 For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality —
14 at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality;
15 as it is written, “HE WHO gathered MUCH DID NOT HAVE TOO MUCH, AND HE WHO gathered LITTLE HAD NO LACK.”

Introduction:

Five Reasons God Grants a Surplus
1. To save up for times when we have a lack – Emergency Fund
2. To enjoy life – gifts, vacations, hobbies, etc. – Discretionary Spending
3. To give to the Lord’s work through church, missions and ministries – Tithes and Offerings
4. To generously give to other believers in need – Charity
5. To increase wealth so you can do the other four more generously – Investing

Theme: Five habits of a grace giving church and the reasons we should emulate them

I. They Did It: Five habits displayed in a grace giving church
1. They gave in the midst of their affliction vs 2a.
2. They gave joyfully and generously vv 2b-3a
3. They gave willingly and eagerly 3b-4
4. They gave themselves to the Lord first.
vs 5a.
5. They gave themselves to the ministry. 5b

II. Now you Do It: Five reasons why we should emulate those grace giving churches

1. Grace Giving is a gracious work to share in vv.6-7
2. Grace Giving proves our love for others vs. 8
3. Grace Giving is patterned after the generous gift of Christ for us vs.9
4. Grace Giving is done out of your desire and ability to do so vv. 10-12

Are you ready and willing ?
Are you able?

5. Grace Giving provides for equality among believers vv. 13-15 Acts 4:34-35

Do you understand God’s reason for granting you wealth ?

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