Preacher: Caleb Ogle

Text: Hebrews 11:1-12:2

Theme: Live By Faith

Notes:

12:1, “let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,”

12:2, “looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith”

12:3, “Consider him…so that you may not become weary”

Our race is a consistent exertion of effort toward Christ-likeness

Philippians 1:6, “he who began a good work in you will complete it”

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Preacher: Bruce Miller

Text: Ephesians 5:8-16

Theme: Letting Your Light Shine in Darkness

Notes:

• John 8:12, “I AM the light of the world”
• As God’s children we should be imitators of our Father
• Matthew 5:14-15, “You are the light of the world…let your light shine before men….”
• John 3:19-20, “…light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than light because their works were evil.”
• 1 Corinthians 5:9-11
• Proverbs 4:19
• Romans 13
• Isaiah 5:20
• Romans 6:21-23
• John 1:4-5
• 2 Corinthians 4:6
• John 3:21

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Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Colossians 2

Theme: How Do I Live In Christ’s Victory?

Notes:

Because we are united with Christ, we share in His victory

Because of Christ’s vicarious sacrifice,
we are not only declared “not-guilty”,
but declared to be righteous
–because Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us

1. Trust the supremacy of Christ
   • Colossians 1:15-20
   • “Firstborn” isn’t a designation of birth order, it is a title
     • John 1:3, “All things were made through Him….”
2. Trust the sufficiency of Christ
   • Colossians 2:9-10, “all the fullness of the godhead dwells in Him”
   • 2:6-7, “as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him”
3. Live in solidarity with Christ
   • Romans 5:10, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God“
4. Rest secure in Christ
   • Luke 15, three parables of lost things: a lost sheep, a lost coin, a lost son
5. Be sanctified through Christ
   • Colossians 3
6. Shine for Christ
   • 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

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Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Acts 25-26, 1 Peter 3

Theme: Dealing with Doubters and Skeptics

Notes:

1. Godly Examples
   • A committed life
     • 1 Peter 3:13-15, “sanctify the Lord in your hearts”
     • Exodus 20, “You shall have no other gods before [besides] me”
       • Is Christ Lord of your finances?
       • Is Christ Lord of your time?
       • Is Christ Lord of every part of your life?
   • A changed life
     • People can discredit or debate your beliefs, but they can’t argue against a changed life
   • A courageous life
     • 1 Peter 3:13-15, “being prepared to make a defense to anyone “
   • A convinced heart
     • 1 Peter 3:13-15, “reason for the hope that is in you”
2. Gracious Experiences
   • Paul tailors his responses to each audience in the book of Acts–while maintaining the truth of the gospel in every case
   • 1 Peter 3:13-15, “with gentleness and respect”
   • The goal is not just to win arguments
   • We treat people with humility and respect
   • Ephesians 4:15, truth AND love
   • Jude 22-23, compassion, mercy
   • Care about the person you are speaking to
   • Gentleness–4x in the pastoral epistles
   • Listen humbly
   • Be gracious when personally attacked
   • Stay focused on the gospel

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Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Acts 26:1-32

Theme: Dealing with Doubters and Skeptics

Notes:

Matthew 7:14, “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life and  those who find it are few.”

Doubters and skeptics needs to see a changed life coupled with a courageous witness.

Some reasons for skepticism

1. People are blind and bound by Satan
   • Acts 26:17-18, “…to open their eyes, so that they may turn…”
   • 1 Corinthians 1:18
   • The Holy Spirit draws blind and bound sinners to Christ by the preaching of the gospel from the Scripture
   • Romans 10:14
   • Acts 17:30
   • Mark 1:15
   • John 6:44
   • Trusting God’s internal work will keep us from 1) watering down the gospel or 2) manipulating people emotionally in order to force a false decision
   • Hebrews 10:26-27, 31
   • Acts 26:20-23
2. Bad examples
   • Agrippa II was used to using religion as a means to obtain wealth and power
   • His experience with the Jewish leaders proved that they were no different than him
3. Bad experiences
   • Jewish historian Josephus records a number of bad experiences between the Jewish leaders and the Roman government
   • In this narrative the Jewish leaders were using their power to attempt to wrongly influence Festus to side with them
   • Christians who rely on politics have lost sight of the main thing–the gospel
4. Bad explanations
   • Syncretism between Christianity and culture

Some remedies for skepticism

1. Godly examples
   • Christ expects that true faith ought to produce true change
   • Unbelievers expect this as well
   • Even if unbelievers don’t believe our doctrine–they can’t deny our changed lives
     • Unless there is no change
   • 1 Peter 3:15

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Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Acts 25:

Theme: Understanding the Mind of People-Pleasers

Notes:

The Mind of People-Pleasers

“…the fear of man is a snare, whoever trusts in the Lord will be saved.”

1. They desire and value man’s opinion over God’s opinion
2. They fear man’s displeasure rather than the displeasure of God
3. They are trying to find something in people that they can only get from God
   • Satisfaction
   • Security
   • Significance
4. They please people so they can ultimately please themselves

We can have freedom from people-pleasing

1. There is a high price of being a people-pleaser
   • It will bring you into bondage to every person you try to please
     • Romans 6
   • It will cause you to forfeit the honor you seek
     • Matthew 6
   • It will blind you to your sin–or drown you in it
     • Matthew 23
     • People will often lay expectations on you–that they will not help you to accomplish
   • It will deceive you into believing other people’s opinion about you instead of God’s opinion about you
     • John 5
   • It will rob you of peace and joy in Christ

Remember some things

1. Remember the high price of being a people-pleaser
2. Remember that it is impossible to please people

Replace some things

1. Replace the lust for people’s approval with love for God’s approval
2. Replace wrong values
   • Replace your temporal earthly value system with an eternal heavenly one
     • Colossians 3
   • Replace your people evaluation system
     • People-pleasers often look at people the way they think people look at them
     • Pray for people–for their good

Why love God’s approval?

1. When we choose to please God and not man, we only have one master
2. The One you please will not judge you for what is on the outside but that which is in your heart
   • Psalm 145
3. The One you please will not be influenced by talebearers, gossips, or false accusers
4. The One you please is unchanging
   1. Malachi 3
5. The One you please asks of you that which ultimately brings you joy

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Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Acts 25

Theme: Understanding the Mind of People-Pleasers

Notes:

People-Pleasers

1. They are trying to find something in people that can only be found in God
2. They please people so they can ultimately please themselves

What Are They Looking For?

1. Satisfaction
   • Not in itself wrong
   • Can be wrong when we want it more than when we want what God wants
2. Security
3. Significance

But a person cannot give you satisfaction, security, or significance–and it is unfair to place the burden on providing these on them

People Pleasers:

1. Want the approval of man more than the approval of God
2. Fear the displeasure of man more than the displeasure of God
3. Choose the easy way rather than the right way

We must each decide if we are going to live to please God or live to please people.

Is Pleasing People Ever Right?

1. It can be right when our motive is to please God, not man
   • Loving our neighbor
   • Having integrity
   • Being honest
   • Galatian 6:9-10, “…as you have opportunity let us do good to all…”
2. It can be right if you desire a good reputation for the cause of Christ
   • Proverbs 22:1, “…a good name is to be chosen rather than great riches…”
   • Ecclesiastes 7:1, “…a good name…”
   • 1 Tim 3:7, “…elders should have a good reputation
3. It can be  right if you are following Christ’s command to please God-given authority
   • Ephesians 6, “…honor your father and mother…”
   • Ephesians 6, “…not with eye-service as men-pleasers, doing service as to the Lord and not to men…”
   • 1 Peter 2, “…submit yourself to every ordinance of man…for the praise of those who do good…”
   • Hebrews 13:7, “…let them do so with joy and not with grief…”
4. It can be right if you are following Christ’s command to please your spouse
   • 1 Corinthians 7
5. It can be right if you are limiting your liberty in order to evangelize
   • 1 Corinthians 9
   • 1 Corinthians 10
6. It can be right if you are limiting your liberty in order to avoid being a stumbling block
   • Romans 15:2, “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”
   • 1 Corinthians 10, “…all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify…”
7. It can be right if you are limiting your liberty in order to protect church unity
   • Philippians 2, “…let each esteem others better than himself…”

Three Things True of All of These:

1. It is never to protect, promote, or praise one’s self
2. It is to promote cause of Christ
3. It is to bring praise to God

The Mind of People Pleasers

1. God-pleasers value the approval of God more than anything
   • 2 Corinthians 5:9, “…whether present or absent to be pleasing to the Lord…”
2. God-pleasers fear the displeasure of God more than the displeasure of man
   • God always loves us with an everlasting love
   • But our actions may be either pleasing or displeasing to Him
   • Ephesians 4:30, “…don’t grieve the Holy Spirit…”
   • Ephesians 5:10
   • Colossians 1:9-10, “…that you may walk worthy of the Lord fully pleasing Him…”
   • 1 Thessalonians 4:1, “…how you ought to walk and how to please God…”
3. God-pleasers desire God to be glorified more than anything
4. God-pleasers insist on doing the right thing
   • Saul’s accusers were willing to do that which was wrong in order to accomplish their goals
   • God-pleasers are willing to lose jobs, relationships, or opportunities in the pursuit of doing that which is right
5. God-pleasers take responsibility for their actions
6. God-pleasers refuse to compromise truth for convenience
   • Proverbs 25:26, “Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.”
7. God-pleasers refuse to use flattery in order to manipulate
8. God-pleasers refuse to show partiality
   • James 2:1-9, “…show no partiality…”
   • The willingness to show partiality is like being a corrupt judge who accepts a bribe

Lloyd Oglesby, “we can’t really live until we are free from the fear of dying.”

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