Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Matthew 6:19-34

Theme: Where Your Treasure Is

Notes:

Questions

• What do I really want?
• Why do I want it so badly?
• Who decides what I should want?

Treasure Principles

1. Everyone seeks treasure
   • Once you choose a treasure you choose a master
2. Your treasure controls your heart
3. Whatever controls your heart controls your choices

See God’s kingdom and his righteousness

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Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Acts 17:16-34

Theme: The Providence of God

Notes:

The working of God’s sovereignty to continually uphold, guide, and care for His creation.

The God who rules the world reveals himself in human history and redeems rebels through Jesus Christ.

v. 18, “…he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection.”

Paul Preached Christ:

• Acts 13, 14, 16

“God’s not going to save America through the president–
He’s going to save America through the preaching of Jesus Christ.”

Hebrews 1:1-4

The Glory of God:

• God is glorified in Creation
• God is glorified in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ
• God is glorified in the redemption of sinners
• God is glorified in redeemed sinners living for Him

God’s Providence

1. God rules over all things
   • Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 5: Of Providence, “God, the great Creator of all things, doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible fore-knowledge….”
   • Acts 14:17, “Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”
   • Acts 17:25, “nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.”
   • Even sinners get the overflow blessings of God’s immanence in this world
     • Matthew 5:45, “…For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good,
       and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

2. God reveals Himself through human history
   • Acts 17:26-27, “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live yon all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,
     27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,”
   • Daniel 2:21, “He changes times and seasons;
     he removes kings and sets up kings;
     he gives wisdom to the wise
     and knowledge to those who have understanding;”
   • God elevated Cyrus the Great
   • God humbled Nebuchadnezzar
3. God redeems people through Jesus Christ
   • Acts 17:29, “…we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.”
   • God has been patient and merciful in unfolding His plan of redemption through Jesus Christ
     • 17:30, “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but know he commands all people everywhere to repent,”
   • But God will judge the world by Christ:
     • 17:31, “because he has fixed ma day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed….”
   • No matter who wins this year’s election, Christ is on the throne
   • We must be redemptive in our outlook–there are bigger things at stake than who is president
   • It is the responsibility of each of us to prioritize the redemption of sinners through Jesus Christ

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Preacher:  Jeremy Herbert

Text: Acts 27:23

Theme: Angels

Notes:

• Christ is greater than the angels, Hebrews 1
• There are holy/elect angels, and fallen angels
• Angels serve God, not man
• Angels serve God, for the benefit of His children
• Holy angels refuse worship, Revelation 10, 22
• Angels point people to God and His redemptive plan
• Angels execute God’s judgment against His enemies

How Can Angels Encourage Us Today?

1. Angels are ministering spirits, Hebrews 1:14
   • For our good, and for God’s glory
   • Matthew 18:10
   • Psalm 91:9-11
   • Angels are ministers of encouragement, Acts 27:23, Matthew 4
2. Angels demonstrate our importance to our Father
3. Angels rejoice about the salvation of men
4. Angels guard the holiness of God
5. Angels constantly worship God
6. Angels are witnesses of our conduct in the local church body

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Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Acts 27:21-26

Theme: Moving Toward God in Crises of Faith

Notes:

“When tragedy strikes, we enter a crisis of faith.
We either move toward God or away from God.”
— Bob Kelleman

When you are in a crisis of faith,
move toward God and He will give you courage
to keep moving and help others move toward Him.

How To Move Toward God

Acts 27:23, “…to whom I belong and whom I worship”

1. Communion with Christ
   • “to whom I belong”
   • Don’t wait til tragedy strikes to move toward God
   • Ephesians 5, “…Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
   • Know God and Enjoy Him
     • John 17:3, “…that you may know the Father”
     • John 15
     • Nehemiah 8:6
2. Conformity to Christ
   • “whom I worship”
   • We become like the object of our love/worship
   • All of us are being conformed to something–either Christ, or something else
     • Romans 12
     • Ephesians 3
3. Courage in Christ
   • Luke 8:22-25
   • Psalm 121, “…my help comes from the LORD”
   • Psalm 107
   • Paul’s faith/courage in this trial became a ministry to others for their good

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Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Acts 27

Theme:

Notes:

We can confidently face circumstances outside of our control
because God is committed to His purpose and his people.

Related Scriptures:

• 2 Corinthians 5
• Colossians 1
• Job 42
• Ephesians 1
• Romans 8
• Genesis 50
• Luke 21
• Isaiah 43

4 Things That Give Us Confidence

1. God is committed to His purpose
2. God is committed to His people
3. God is committed to His providence
4. God is committed to His promises

God never promises that we will not suffer–He promises that we will not suffer alone.

The people we celebrate are those who come into our lives and leave us changed for the better.

God’s promises are not a means of binding Himself
in order to bind him to do that which He does not want to do
–He gives those promises for our good.

Be motivated by the heart of Christ.

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Preacher: Jeremy Herbert

Text: Acts 27

Theme: Godly counsel can prevent spiritual shipwreck

Notes:

Thesis: We can confidently face circumstances outside of our control
because God is committed to His purpose and His people.

“Paul wasn’t in charge–he was in chains.”

2 Types of Wisdom

1. General Wisdom
   • Wisdom gained by truth gained education, experience, expertise
     • Example: Exodus 18, Jethro’s wise counsel to Moses regarding delegation
   • General wisdom is a gift of God’s common grace
   • Unbelievers may be gifted with general wisdom
2. Spiritual Wisdom
   • Wisdom gained through revelation from God
     • Example: Proverbs 1

Rejecting biblical counsel is a downward spiral

1. It gets difficult
2. It gets dangerous
3. It becomes disastrous
4. We fall into despair
   • This passage is a counterpoint to the story of Jonah

How do we help those who have already suffered shipwreck?

1. Give it to them straight
   • People cannot escape unaddressed problems
   • They cannot repent of that which remains unidentified
2. Walk with them
   • When the crew shipwrecks on Malta, Paul gathers wood for a fire
3. Give them the truth
4. Give them hope
   • “Take heart men, for I believe God”

Live It Out

1. Seek godly counsel
2. Give godly counsel