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

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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

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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

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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

Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Proverbs 3

Theme: Everyday Wisdom

Thesis:

Notes:

Prov 1, “…the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”

Wisdom is neither internal or instinctual–wisdom is outside of us, and must be pursued and applied.

Wisdom enables us to hold a right tension between truth and mercy, balancing them perfectly.

Wisdom starts with faith–because you won’t follow who you don’t trust.

Trust = faith

• “…trust the LORD with all your heart….”

Hebrews 11, “…without faith it is impossible to please Him….”

There is nothing off-limits to wisdom–including money.

• The Scripture talks extensively about money; your view of money is a clear window into your soul.

“Blessed/happy is the man who finds wisdom.”

• Happy–man’s perspective
• Blessed–God’s perspective
• Both are true

Wisdom helps you avoid unnecessary pain

• “The way of the sinner is hard.”

Live It Out

• Test everything by God’s Word, 1 Thess 5:20-22
• Actively and intentionally pursue wisdom in your home, inform your kids why you do what you do, Deut 6:5-9
  • What does the Bible tell us to do in this situation?
  • What do you want to know and know how to do biblically by the time they leave home?
    • Book recommendation: Shepherding A Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp
• Stay humble and hopeful

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