Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Ephesians 2:

Theme: Our Identity In Christ

Notes:

Finding our identity in Christ allows us to relate to others around us in a Christ-like way.

Three Truths:

1. Rooting our identity in Christ releases us from our past

   • “…you were dead in trespasses and sins in which you once walked….”
   • “…among whom we all once lived….”
   • “…even when we were dead in trespasses and sins….”
   • Our past reminds us that:
     • We can’t earn God’s love
       • “I know God loves me–but I don’t think He likes me”
       • It can be tempting to think that we can do something to “earn” grace
         • “I did these things, so God kind of owes me a good day”
         • “This bad thing happened, I must not have done enough to please Him”
     • If we think God treats us this way–offering grace provisionally or based on works
       (i.e., not grace), we will relate to others in this same way
       • How can you reflect God’s grace if you don’t feel God is full of grace–
         but that He is severe and usually disappointed?
   • God loves us, not because we are intrinsically or potentially lovely
     • God makes lovely that which He chooses to love, i.e.,
       He loves us because of of what He has done, not because of what we have done
   • Growing up in a Christian home you often are protected from committing certain sins that unbelievers harm themselves and others with
     • “The big ones”
     • But the closer you grow to Christ, the darker you understand your own sins to be–no matter how socially acceptable those sins might be
   • God’s desire for us to mourn over our sin is not a call to wallow in shame–it’s a call to accept His offer of grace, repent of our sin, and be made new
   • At salvation you have been given the resources to be free from sin
     • It doesn’t mean that some sins may take more time and effort than others to be free from
       • Sins you are painfully aware of
       • Sins you are unaware of

2. Rooting our identity in Christ allows us to rest in His present grace

   • The call of legalism is often harsh and unforgiving
     • “This bad thing happened, I must not have displeased God.”
   • It can also be seductive
     • “This good thing happened, I must be really righteous”
   • But the truth is that God loves us with a covenantal love–where God loves us because He has promised to love us–based on the merits of Christ–not because of how you have performed.
     • Q: Won’t people just feel a license to live as sinful as they want, penalty-free?
     • A: People truly saved by grace will be transformed by grace.
   • You need not be pulled here and there by the exhausting sins of:
     • pride (look what I have done for God)
     • despair (look what I have done to God)
   • We must remember that God has entered into a covenant with His people:
     • By His own initiative
     • Utterly aware of every one of our sins
     • And God is for us!

3. Rooting our identity in Christ restores us to purpose

   • Graces:
     • imago dei (ih-MAH-go DAY) — “the image of God”
       • Every human is made in the image of God
     • Common grace
     • Redemptive grace

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Ephesians 2:1-10

Theme: What Does the Bible Say About Identity: Who Am I In Christ?

• Personal Identity
• Social Identity
• Restored Identity

Notes:

• Questions:
  • How did I get here?
  • Who am I?
  • Why am I here?
  • What is true?
  • How do I know right from wrong?
  • What happens when I die?
• Ecc 3:11, “…He has put eternity into man’s heart….”
• Questions of Identity:
  • The answers to these questions will determine who you are and what you do with your life
  • Who am I?
  • Why am I here?
  • Personal Identity
    • Your individual personality and characteristics
    • How you perceive yourself
    • What distinguishes you from others?
  • Social Identity
    • Your shared values with others
    • How others perceive you
    • How are you alike with others?
  • If we tie either our personal identity (what I think about myself)
    or our social identity (what others think of us) to the wrong things,
    we are going to have a flawed view of our identity
    • Since God is the author of who we are, He has the authority to rightly describe who we are
  • The structure of the book of Ephesians points to the issue of identity
    • As believers, our identity is inextricably  tethered to Christ
  • Every other source of identity is a false foundation of shifting sand:
    • Being a spouse
    • Being a parent
    • Being wealthy
    • Being creative
    • Being an American
    • Being employed
    • Being successful
  • Am I still who I am when I lose one or more of these things?
  • Am I still OK when I lose one or more of these things?
  • The “Disney problem”: when a protagonist looks inward to find truth, and lives out their own subjective truth apart from their any other truth
    • But we are born without any indwelling truth
    • We must find truth outside of ourselves
      • Eph 2:1, “…you were dead in trespasses and sins….”
      • Our will is by nature bound to oppose God
      • Apart from the regeneration of the (external) Holy Spirit, we will not come to the truth
  • Sin distorted our identity
    • But through Christ, we have been given a new identity
    • Our old identity has no power over us
      • 1 Cor 6:11, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified….”
      • Eph 2:1-2, “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked….”
      • 1 Tim 1:13, “though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent…”
    • We don’t define ourselves by how we feel or how well you do:
      • I’m doing great–I’m better than those other sinners
      • I’m doing terrible–I will never change or improve
  • A right perspective on our identity as believers:
    • I am loved
    • Not because I am inherently lovely
    • But because Christ has made me lovely
    • We don’t derive our identity from what we say about ourselves
    • We derive our identity from what God says about us
  • We are freed from either shame or pride because
    • God acknowledges our sin,
    • Christ atoned for our sin,
    • God accepts Christ’s sacrifice,
    • God transforms us,
    • God calls us His own
• Live It Out!
  • Root out false ideas with the truth:
    • 2 Cor 10:5, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,”
  • Meditate on truth of God’s word
  • Pray that God would empower your future through hope in what Christ has done

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Psalm 23

Theme: The Great Shepherd

Notes:

God called David, a shepherd, to reflect the Great Shepherd, and shepherd God’s people

We often remember David’s great victories: defeating Goliath, conquering the Philistines, capturing Jerusalem

Yet David had many great tragedies

• He spent years on the run as his king tried to murder him
• three of his sons died–all under tragic circumstances

Psalm 23:1, “The LORD is my shepherd”

1. God’s Exaltation

• The LORD: there is a God, and He is the Creator of the universe
• My shepherd: This God is my shepherd
  • He watches over me
  • He meets my needs
    • Not necessarily our wants
      • “I shall not want”, meaning, “I shall not lack”
• Will this God be there for you in your worst moments?
  • Will he sustain you through pain and loss?
  • This psalm affirms that this God that provided for David will provide for you
  • Would it help to worry?
    • Matthew 6:25-34

2. David’s Expectation

• Because of who God is (past & present), He will provide for me  (future)
  • “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil, for you are with me;”
  • “your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
    • The shepherd is armed with the tools to defend the sheep against enemies without–and to save us from our own foolishness as well
  • The psalm marks God’s many provisions:
    • You prepare a table before me
    • You anoint my head with oil;
  • David’s expectation is rooted in relationship with God
    • “You are with me;”
  • God’s goodness and mercy are absolutely unfailing–regardless of whether we deserve it (we don’t)
  • God not only is good and merciful–but he delights to do so

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: 1 Timothy 2:1-7

Theme: Praying for the Lost

Notes: 

Effective evangelism begins with praying for the lost.

How to Pray

• “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings” (v.1)
  1. Pray with awareness of the need –supplications
  2. Pray as worship to God –prayers
  3. Pray with compassion for people –intercessions
     • God-honoring prayer is not detached and aloof
     • Matthew 9:35, Christ moved with compassion for the lost
  4. Pray with a grateful heart –thanksgivings
     • When you are truly grateful for a good gift, it is hard not to tell about the one who gave it
  5. Pray with holy hands (v.8)
     • Sin undermines your confidence in God–and your prayers suffer as a result
  6. Pray while proclaiming the gospel
     • We are not to either pray or go–we are to pray and go
• Who should we pray for?
  • All men (in general)
  • Those in authority (in specific)
    • Paul exhorted this–knowing full well that Nero was the emperor at the time
    • Pray that our leaders would come to Christ, pray for their well-being
      • Romans 2, “The goodness of God leads us to repentance.”
      • It’s hard to draw people to Christ if you don’t love them
    • Result: that we may live quiet and peaceable lives (v.2)
• Why Pray?
  • God says it is good (v.3)
  • God wants to rescue people (v.4)
  • It pleases God joy (v.3)
  • Salvation uniquely glorifies the godhead (v.5-6)
    • Christ became a ransom not for masses, but for particular persons
  • It reflects the heart of our Savior (John 7)
• Scriptural Examples
  • Samuel
  • Jeremiah
  • Daniel
  • Stephen
  • Paul (Romans 9)
• Historical Examples
  • Knox
  • Whitefield
  • Martin
  • Spurgeon

Live It Out

• Pray for our community to come to Christ
• Pray for local, state, national leaders to come to Christ
• Pray that our church would be a lighthouse of hope

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

Theme:  4 Principles To Be A Disciple-Making Dad

Thesis:

Notes:

1. Our mission is gospel-centered
2. Our methods are God-dependent
3. Our motives are God-glorifying
4. Our manner is grace-based

It is your responsibility as a parent to teach and model the gospel to your children–
but their salvation is God’s responsibility.

If our kids turn out well, it is a testament to God’s grace and goodness–not a testament to our parenting.

4. Our manner is grace-based

• Paul described his manner with the Thessalonians to a nursing mother (12:7)
• Paul’s intent was to shepherd them toward spiritual health
  • cf Ephesians 6:4, “…do not provoke your children to anger….”
• “…we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves….” (12:8)
  • Your children do not need more stuff–they need you
  • It is easy to buy into the lie that “this project/event/chore/task/sermon will not be done if I don’t do it”
• “…we worked night and day….” (12:9)
• “[we walked worthy, and exhorted you to do the same]” (12:10-12)

Live It Out

1. Be honest and open about your failures
2. Embrace grace
3. Prayerfully plan changes
4. Get help