Jan 17

Worship Service 1/17/2021

Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Theme: New Year

Texts:

  • Colossians 3:1-17
  • Colossians 1:1-4

 

Notes:

  • Through our identity in Christ we experience unity
    • When the gospel is truly embraced it will transform every relationship
      • Example: Onesimus and Philemon
    • The Christian life, as described in Scripture, always envisions living within community–like a family
    • Don’t skip the introductions when you read the books of the Bible
      • They do contain common things
      • But they contain important things
      • Colossians 1, “…to the saints and faithful brothers…”
    • “Saint” — set apart for God; consecrated; holy;
    • Roman culture was comprised by many disparate racial, socio-economic, groups and subgroups
      • Jew, Greek, Scythian, barbarian, Roman citizen, slave
      • Paul declares that these are all one in Christ (Colossians 3:11)
    • Love is the bond/glue that keeps us connected to others when we don’t agree with others (Colossians 3:14)
  • Through our community in Christ we are transformed
    • Paul makes it clear that if we are truly transformed, there are behaviors we must put off (Colossians 3:8-9)
    • The root of anger is bitterness
    • There are also behaviors that we must put on (Colossians 3:10-14)
    • These changes are not self-empowered, but Christ-empowered (Colossians 3:1)
    • We all want grace–but do we offer grace?
  • Through the glory of Christ we can change the world
    • Paul commands husbands/fathers to behave in a new way that was entirely counter to the Roman culture
    • Husbands / fathers in Roman culture had near ultimate rights over their home and everyone in it
      • Paul tells husbands to love  their wives–and not to be harsh/angry/bitter with them (Colossians 3:19)
      • He tells fathers not to exasperate/discourage/provoke/embitter their children (Colossians 3:21)
    • The gospel eventually affected slavery in the Roman world
  • Live it Out
    • Get real with where you are spiritually–ask those who know you well
    • Be specific about change in Christ this year
      • Not, “I want to grow”, but “I want to read my Bible every day,” or “I want to be kind to this person.”
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Jan 10

Worship Service 01/10/2021

Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Thesis: Let us prepare our hearts for 2021 by focusing on Christ as a family

Texts:

  • Colossians 3:1-11
  • 2 Timothy 3:13
  • Colossians 4:9
  • Mark 3:32-35
  • Matthew 18:15-20

 

Notes:

  • The church of Colossae was started by Epaphras
  • Paul commends the church of Colossae for the things they did well
  • But he addresses some things they were not doing so well
  • When new believers come to Christ they bring their old baggage with them
    • There are radical changes that happen upon conversion
    • But we still dwell within a sinful body
  • Some of the Gentile Colossians were tempted to syncretism
    • Keeping their false gods and adding Christ to them
  • Some of the Jewish Colossians were tempted to legalism
    • Clinging to the Old Testament ceremonial law and adding Christ to it
  • Both groups were being pressured to conformity
    • Conformity to the pagan Roman culture
    • Conformity to the old covenant
    • People don’t like being told they are wrong
    • People don’t like giving up their sin
    • Paul is addressing cultural and racial issues in Colossian church
  •  We need focus
    • The gospel transforms societies and system–not revolutions
    • Politics cannot transform societies because it cannot transform hearts
    • Bible studies on Colossians are often paired with Philemon
      • Philemon and Onesimus were from the church of Colossae
      • Onesimus was a runaway slave from Philemon
      • Note: slavery under the Roman empire was quite distinct from chattel slavery practiced in early American
    • Colossians 4:9, “…Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother….”
    • Don’t be sidetracked
      • “rise up O church of God, be done with lesser things”
  • We need a family
    • Example: firefighters
      • A firefighting crew requires a number of crewmembers in order to work together to fight fires effectively
      • One man can’t do it alone
    • The church family must equip, train, and work together like a family if they are going to make an impact in this world
    • In the New Testament the members of the church are frequently called “family,” “household,” and “brothers and sisters”
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Jan 03

Worship Service 01/03/2021

Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Theme: What Will Be New This Year?

Texts:

  • Colossians 3:1-17
  • Deuteronomy 29:29

 

Notes:

  • What will be new this year?
    • How or Why would they be new?
  • God doesn’t always reveal what He is doing, or why He is doing it
    • But He does give us His truth and His presence to go with us through it
  • Let us prepare our hearts for 2021 by focusing on our new life in Christ
    • We have a new life in Christ
      • Colossians 1-2: What Christ did for us in salvation
      • Colossians 3: What Christ is doing for us in sanctification
    • Seek Christ every day
      • “Whatever masters my meditation masters my heart.”
      • Actively seeking Christ keeps us from seeking lesser things–something we are inclined to by nature
      • Our hope is not based on us being as good as others are–our hope is based on Christ and His perfections
      • Christ still continually intercedes for us
    • Set your mind on Christ every day
      • Put these off: v5-9
      • Put these on: v12-17
      • These are all active choices
    • Remember that Christ is life
    • Remember that Christ is coming back
      • Meditating on the truth of Christ’s imminent return will help put the rest of life in its proper perspective
      • The time to reach others for Christ is counting down
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Jan 01

Time to Read Through the Bible

This article covers how much time it takes to read through the Bible, and breaks it down book by book:

https://www.crossway.org/articles/infographic-you-can-read-more-of-the-bible-than-you-think/

Dec 31

2021 Reading Plans from Ligonier

Here are some more reading plans for 2021 from Ligonier:

https://www.ligonier.org/blog/bible-reading-plans/

Dec 27

Worship Service 12/27/2020

Preacher: Bruce Miller

Theme: God is faithful, even if we don’t understand why things are happening

Texts:

  • Job 1-42
  • Deuteronomy 29:29
  • Philippians 1:21
  • 2 Tim 3
  • James 5:11

Notes:

  1. Job 1: Satan’s first thesis: believers are faithful only for the material rewards they receive
  • Faith in wealth, possessions, and friends may fail
  • Faith in God never fails
  • No angel–holy or fallen–is omnipresent
  • 2020 is bad
  • But in the span of minutes Job has lost nearly everything–wealth, family, security
  • If Job’s faith was in his wealth, his faith would have failed
  • If Job’s faith was in his family, his faith would have failed
  • Satans thesis is proved invalid

2. Job 2: Satans second thesis: believers are faithful as long as they have physical health

  • “Behind every great man is a great woman”*
  • *but not in Jobs case
  • Job has no idea why any of this is happening–yet he remains faithful
  • Satans thesis is proved invalid

3. Job 3-37: Job’s “friends” arrive

  • They start strong but mourning with him in silence
  • Job’s pain is so great he laments ever being born
  • Job’s friends speak out of the well of their ignorance
  • He asks for sympathy–his friends have none
  • They call him to repent–but are unable to find a sin for him to repent of
  • By chapter 14 Job now prays for death
  • By chapter 19 Job’s faith still endures
  • Job 21: Job asserts that the wicked may prosper, and the good may suffer
  • Job’s friends: No
  • Job 32-35: a new “friend” arrives to not be very helpful
  • If Job’s faith had been in his friends, his faith would have failed.

4. Job 38-42: God intervenes

  • He challenges Job regarding Job questioning God’s character
  • Job answered with the humility God expected
  • God asserts His sovereignty over creation
  • Job continues to draw close to God–despite his lack of understanding
  • Job 42: God confronts Job’s friends, demands repentance, and appoints Job as their mediator
  • Not *everything* they said was wrong–but they slandered Job and they slandered God

5. Job 42: God blesses Job

Final Observations

  • Wealth is fleeting
  • Health is fleeting
  • Friends will let us down
  • We may not know why we suffer
  • But
  • God is always faithful
  • God is always good
  • God is worthy of our faith
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Dec 20

Worship Service 12/20/2020

 

Speaker: Dan Poynter

Theme: Laboring in God’s Service

Texts:

  • Nehemiah 1-3
  • Galatians 6
  • 1 Corinthians 15
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Dec 18

Worship Services For the Rest of December Virtual Only

Services for Faith Baptist Church will be virtual only for the next couple of weeks.
Here is the link for this Sunday’s service:

Dec 13

Worship Service 12/13/2020

Preacher: Caleb Ogle

Thesis: Beware

Texts:

  • 1 Peter 5:8-11
  • Ecclesiastes 4:9-11

 

Context:

  • Peter is writing to Gentile Christians who were enduring persecution under the Roman Empire

 

Bad News: You have an enemy intent on your destruction

Comforting News: There is hope in Christ

Good News: God is going to do great things, and has already gained the victory through Christ

 

Notes:

“Be sober, be vigilant” — be mindful, be aware, be on the lookout.

Our temptations and struggles are common to other believers and we can help bear one another’s burdens

Our sufferings are:

  • for a purpose
  • for a time
  • for your good
  • for His glory

We are often tempted to overcorrect away from one sin or temptation into the arms of another sin or temptation

How do we defeat our enemy?

  • The way up starts with being down–humility
  • Cast your care on Christ
    • You can’t do it without Him
    • He cares for you and desires to help you
  • “I can do this in my own strength”
    • We might not say it out loud, but when we neglect God’s means of grace we live it
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Dec 13

Read Through the Bible

Here are some links to several websites that provide different reading plans for reading through the Bible. There are some for reading through the entire Bible in a year, others for reading through the entire New Testament multiple times, and some for reading through in a particular order (chronologically, thematically, etc).

Reading Plans

 

Apps

The only time I have successfully read through the entire Bible in a year, it was largely due to the app ReadingPlan for helping me to stay on track. It is free, it is well designed, and you can import dozens of different reading plans. Sorry Android users, it is available for iPhone / iPad only.

You can download it here.

Sermon Podcast