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2011-2012 School Year - I Peter 4:7-11 – Pastor Dan Greenfield In all our planning and all our visions of our future, we should never forget that the end is near. How would our lives change if we knew we only had one month to live? Martin Luther was asked that question, and he said, “I would plant a tree and pay my taxes.” Basically what he was saying was that he would keep doing what he had been doing – doing his best to do God's will. The Bible has a lot to say about the end times, but the purpose of that is not so we can debate all the details of eschatology. God tells us about the end times so we can prepare ourselves and be encouraged when we see Satan's inevitable defeat by our King Jesus. Peter tells us the keys to finishing well are the following: Be alert and think straight (Mark 16) so we can pray right, Love others by forgiving them (Prov. 10:12), showing hospitality, and using spiritual gifts to serve God and others. - Various – Pastor Mike Hixson Today Pastor Mike shared a word study on the name of God commonly translated “Lord,” which is Adonai. Although this name can be a title used for people as well, whenever this name is used for God, it is refering to a Master-slave relationship. By going through a number of Old Testament passages, he pointed out the true meaning of this name of God and how we ought to respond to Him as Adonai. This concept is further emphasized in the New Testament by the use of the Greek name “kurios” which is also translated “Lord.” In fact, this name is used many times in reference to both the Father and Jesus the Son. Our response should be three-fold: 1) Realize that we are purchased slaves (Acts 20:28), 2) See God as a Master who is more like the OT master, who made his slave to be as part of his family (2 Sam. 7:18-20, Eph. 2:1-10), and 3) Realize that every man is a slave to someone (Rom. 6:15-23). - Revelation 21-22 – Mr. Frank Davis Heaven is a place that many people don't talk about much, and to most of us it isn't a place we know much about. This ignorance often leads us to be complacent when we think of heaven, and the portrayals of heaven we see on TV often present it as a boring place where we sing and sit on clouds all day. But Scripture says that heaven is a wonderful place where we will worship God in eternity. As an introduction to later discussions, Mr. Davis asked the students for questions and read the most detailed description we have of heaven found in Revelation 21-22. Old People Young People Should Be Like, part 2 - Luke 2:36-38 – Pastor Josh Scheiderer Before Christmas, Pastor Scheiderer shared with us the character of Simeon that we can immitate. Now he shares with us the testimony of Anna. First, she did not despise her Godly heritage. Through the Assyrian captivity and the forced intermarraige they used to try to destroy any sense of nationalism, Anna's family had stayed faithful to God and had kept His commands for over 600 years. At the time of Christ's birth, many Jews couldn't tell what tribe they were from, and the tribes definitely weren't organized like they used to be. Like Anna, we should be thankful for any Godly heritage we have and should be planning to perpetuate that heritage. Second, Anna found satisfaction and security in God. She had been married, probably around age 16, her husband died 7 years later, and she had been a widow for 84 years. Despite the supposed heartache and loneliness she experienced at times, she stayed faithful to the Lord and found satisfaction in worshiping and serving God. Finally, Anna talked to others about Jesus. As soon as she saw Him in the temple, she couldn't help but tell everyone about Him, and He hadn't actually done anything yet here on earth. We have the recorded truth of Scripture to look back on and yet we often find it odd or intimidating to talk to others about the Savior of the World. Anna was a woman of faith, and she is definitely a woman worth following. - Psalm 51 – Pastor Joe Tyrpak David sinned with Bathsheba, was confronted by Nathan, repented, and was forgiven by God. So why did he then write Psalm 51, asking for mercy and grace? Pastor Joe explained today that David did not have a cheap view of sin or of God. He wanted total change, because he had seen what Saul experienced when the Spirit of God was removed from his reign. Psalm 51 is a model of Biblical confession that each one of us can use to develop a pattern of confession. It is practical and beneficial in that it develops in us a healthy hatred of sin and its effects. The point is that confession of sin is just as crucial to our spiritual growth as Bible-reading, church attendence, or prayer. There are five aspects of good confession. First, good confession involves Helpless Pleading (vs. 1-2). David gives no excuses, but falls completely on God's mercy. Second, we must make Honest Admission (vs. 3-5). We cannot do anything but accept the full wickedness of what we have done and the fact that our sin is consistent with our own depravity. Third, good confession involves Hope for Restoration (vs. 6-12). David's whole desire was that he would be restored in his relationship with God and his usefulness for God. Fourth, it involves Holy Ambition (vs. 13-15). The forgiven transgressor may teach transgressors. Finally, good confession involves Higher Aim (vs. 16-19). Our desire should be to accomplish God's plan and to bring Him glory. Sin that we commit always have greater effects than we realize, so our confession should aim to correct the entirety of the negative impact we have made on the cause of Christ. - James 1 – Mr. Frank Davis How do we define sin? Something that doesn't please God? Putting yourself in place of God? Anything that separates us from God? Mr. Davis shared with us what he has learned about sin, beginning with I Peter 1:15-16: “As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; as it is written, 'Be ye holy, for I am holy.'” Before we can properly recognize our sin, we must get a better view of God. Like Isaiah in Isaiah 6, when we see the holiness of God we can't help but say, “Woe is me! For I am undone!” When we are tempted, our alliegance is tested. Will we stay faithful to God, or will we serve ourselves? Temptation comes either from Satan, the world, or our flesh. Examples like Job and Jesus show us that at times, Satan himself does tempt men. The world is also trying to form us into its mold. Romans 12 shows this and explains that we must actively be resisting it and its temptations (I Corinthians 10:13). A ship in the ocean is safe as long as there isn't ocean in the ship. So a Christian in the world is safe as long as the world isn't in the Christian. We can resist temptation through knowing God's Word, prayer, and having a proper perspective of God. Seeing Mary as the Blessed Virgin - Luke 1:26-56 – Pastor Joe Tyrpak As a result of many religions placing an overemphasis on Mary and even idolizing her, true Christians often shy away from recognizing her as the blessed virgin that Scripture describes her as. In Luke 1, the angel Gabriel calls her “Favored One” and Elizabeth is inspired by the Holy Spirit to say, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” As a teenager, she was blessed in three ways. First, she clearly shows that she was blessed with humility in her responses to Gabriel and Elizabeth. Second, her responses show that she was blessed with deep knowledge and a clear understanding of Scripture. Finally, her acceptance and joy over his situation show that she was blessed with a passion for the advancement of the Kingdom of God. Old People Young People Should Be Like - Luke 2:21-38 – Pastor Josh Scheiderer Looking at the examples of Simeon and Anna, Pastor Josh encouraged us to be like them in our view of life as we look forward to the coming of Christ. Simeon was looking forward to the coming of the Messiah. He believed in Jesus and repented of his sin, and God called him righteous and devout. The Holy Spirit was teaching him, and he listened and was led by the Spirit. As we read Scripture and see what our lives are supposed to be like, we too can rely on the Spirit to lead us and enable us to obey. In the end, Simeon found satisfaction and peace in Jesus! - Philippians 3:10 – Mr. Frank Davis Mr. Davis shared with us how he came to choose Philippians 3:10 as his life verse and what impact it has had on him from the time he was going off to college until now. The Dangers of Moderate Christianity - I Corinthians 10:1-12 – Pastor Dan Greenfield No coach would tolerate a player who just went through the motions and played half-heartedly. There make a profession of faith, learn a little bit about the Christian faith, and let the world direct the path of your life. Why is this mindset dangerous? First, this mindset is dangerous because it is thoroughly unbiblical (Luke 9:23-25, 62; Romans 6:5-14; 8:1-14; 12:1-2, 9; 14:7-9; I Corinthians 6:19-20; II Corinthians 5:15, 17; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:21; Colossians 3; Titus 2:14; James 4:4; I Peter 3:15; II Peter 3:11-12). Second, it is dangerous because it leaves you spiritually immature and open to deception. The one who tries to stay in the middle between the world and God will find themselves easily duped and falling for every trick Satan sends his way. Moderation is an attempt to serve two masters, yet neither master is truly served. So what is the cure? Revelation 3:19 says we are to be zealous and repent, I John 2:15-17 says not to love the world, and Galatians 5 tells us to be filled with the Spirit. Consider Christ. How much did He hold back when He died for our sin? The Emptiness of Idolatry and the Satisfaction of the Living God - Jeremiah 2:9-13 – Pastor Josh Scheiderer Jeremiah identified two failures of the people of Judah. He told them to examine the pagan peoples around them and see that they had never given up on their false gods, even though they had never been able to do anything for them. Yet Israel had left the one true God and gone to serve those pagan gods! They forsook the greatest part of their existence in exchange for nothing. God provided them the spiritual refreshment of “living waters” that could satisfy their souls, but they traded that for the spiritually putrid waters of the broken cistern of idolatry. Romans 1:23-25 explains that we do the same thing when we focus on the creation of God more than the Creator God. That is the essence of idolatry, and that will never satisfy. For what do you live? Let each of us drink from the fountain of living waters, which is the One True God! - Revelation 3:14-22 – Mr. Frank Davis Beginning with the story of Pierre who said, “I don't care,” Mr. Davis then used the message to the church in Laodicea to discuss with us his concern that we are not apathetic in our relationship with God. Whether it is our attitude in church or chapel or our heart expressed in songs of worship, we should do everything wholeheartedly for God. Lessons from the Life of Uriah - II Samuel 11 – Pastor Mike Hixson Throughout history, there have been many men who have had the course of their lives dramatically changed by events that they had no control over. Uriah was one of those men. He was noble and valiant, but because David was trying to cover his sin with Bathsheba, he was used and murdered. David schemed and plotted to try to cover up his adultery, and when his efforts to pass off the pregnancy as the result of Uriah's trip home failed, he resorted to murder. Though we will probably never face anything like what Uriah unknowingly faced, we can focus on three things. First, do you Trust God to fulfill His promises to you and give you joy in life and has called you right now to the best possible situation for you (Jeremiah 29:11). Second, do you Obey God and let your faith in Christ work in you to produce submission to His will and the joy that will result. Finally, are you Thankful for the blessings God has given you. Look at the people God has put in your life and the way He provides for every need. Look at the opportunities God has given you to hear and respond to the Gospel at an early age. These are the things that we see in Psalm 73 that change despair to joy by realigning our perspective to God's. - Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20 – Pastor Chris Anderson Missions is an integral part of the Christian life, regardless of occupation or position. The command to “go into all the world and preach the Gospel” is not given only to pastors or professional “missionaries.” The command is given to all of us, so wherever God takes us in the world, we are to proclaim the Gospel. We could be full-time missionaries, or we could be tent-makers, or we could be faithful members of a local church. But whatever we are, we are to be a witness of the Gospel. In John, Jesus said that He was sending us just like God sent Him – “to save sinners.” Our goal in life is not just to make it through life and stay clean. We need to do something. Do something great with your life. There's nothing greater than sharing the Gospel of Christ. - Genesis 13:5-13 – Mr. Frank Davis Human eyes can have cataracts and detached retinas and other disorders that impede our vision. But there are spiritual disorders as well. First, the world clouds our spiritual sight like cataracts cloud physical sight. In Genesis 13, Abraham gave Lot the choice of land, and Lot chose to pitch his tent so that every day he would look towards the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Even after living there got him captured and Abraham had to rescue him, he went right back there and ended up living there and being a leader in the city. He was captivated with sin, and it ended up costing him his wife, his home, his sons-in-law, and, in a way, his daughters too. When we become captivated with the world, we can be drawn away from serving God. But God’s Holy Spirit can give us the strength to see truth clearly to pursue God’s will. Second, selfishness is a disorder of the “I” that occurs when feel that we are more important than anyone else. We might not ever say it that way, but we are saying it with our actions when we don’t show concern to others, when we are proud and have to talk about ourselves all the time, or when we act hypocritically. We ought to humbly be looking around us to see the needs of others and try to meet those needs. Pride and Humility, Grace and Opposition - I Peter 5:5-7 – Pastor Josh Scheiderer How do we submit to those who are older? Peter tells us that the key is to be “clothed with humility.” We aren't just to be selectively humble or partially humble. We are to have humility that completely covers who we are. Why is this necessary? Because God opposes those who are impressed with themselves instead of being impressed with Him. The proud man will encounter resistance, but the humble man will receive grace. Grace is the expression of God's goodness that He shows all men, but especially shows to His people. So how do we grow in humility? We must pray. We must admit that we cannot do anything without Him. The Inseparable Connection of Belief and Behavior - I Timothy 3:14-16 – Pastor Todd Nye Human behavior is capable of both inspiring and appalling us. But what drives our behavior? Answer: What we believe. Now, men do not always act according to what they say they believe, but those who truly embrace certain truths will see those truths actually change the way they think and act. The magnitude of Christ's work ought to inspire us to good behavior. First, the uniqueness of His life inspires us because He put a face on God. He, as God, came to men to save men and minister to them. Jesus died to save men. Has He saved you? Second, His life inspires us because the Holy Spirit was active throughout His life to prove that unlike other men, He righteous. Third, His life inspires us because upon His death and resurrection, all angels saw His spiritual victory over death and hell. Fourth, His life inspires us because while His influence began in Israel, it spread through the entire world. His message was not only for those privileged few, but for all men. Fifth, His life inspires us because His life's work was meant to be received by men and has been by many. Finally, His life inspires us because He is now enthroned in Heaven. When we meditate on these things and truly understand them, they will change our behavior Overcoming the Schemes of Satan - II Corinthians 10:3-6 – Mr. Tom Spence Our battles are not with other countries, with other students, our parents, or ourselves. We are in a spiritual battle, and we need to know our enemy, Satan. Great leaders of history knew their enemies and based their battle plan on their methods and tactics. Our enemy, Satan, is deceitfully scheming to trap and destroy us. Mr. Spence shared with us some of the ways Satan attacks us. How do we need to fight? We need to have God's Word saturating our lives and our minds bathed in prayer so we can be Spirit-filled and Spirit-controlled. - I Samuel 4 – Pastor Mike Hixson We often think of God as someone we have to appease in order to have things go well for us. We act as though doing something wrong will cause Him to make us have a bad day and doing something good will make Him give us what we want. In short, we try to manipulate God. In I Samuel 4, Israel suffered a great loss to the Philistines because they didn't consult with God before going to battle. They didn't realize three things. First, you can expect to struggle when you act unbiblically. Second, you must consult God and Godly authority before acting. Don't confuse acting in God's name with acting in God's will, and don't substitute the approval of man with the approval of God. Finally, the consequences of thinking unbiblically will reach farther than you think. Israel decided to use the Ark of the Covenant like a good luck charm and refused to ask God through His servant Samuel, and they ended up having the Ark stolen and losing 30,000 men in battle. Sin creates a distance between us and God, and Israel felt as though God was no longer there. God remained faithful to them in the end, but they brought great heartache on themselves. We need to consider who God has placed in our lives and what He has been trying to teach us through His Word and ask ourselves whether we are submitting to Him. Joy will only come if we do. Being the Reason for Rejoicing, Part 2 - Philippians 1:3-11 – Mr. Izaac VanderSchel (Spiritual Emphasis Week) What could people say they are thankful about when they think of you? We should view our life as a blank “Thank You” card that someone has bought for you. We have the opportunity to determine whether what is written inside focuses on us or on what God is doing through us. Why did Paul give thanks for the Philippians? He gave thanks for their partnership with him in the ministry. What did Paul pray for them? He prayed that they would abound in love. This love is guided by knowledge and discernment and results in the ability to make excellent choices. It allows us to get beyond the basic ability to make choices between “good” and “bad” and start making choices between “good” and “best.” In conclusion, our zeal for ministry must be founded in love and guided by discernment so we can make wise choices. Let the light of God shine through us so that others see that the love of God is flowing through us. Being the Reason for Rejoicing, Part 1 - Ephesians 1:15ff – Mr. Izaac VanderSchel (Spiritual Emphasis Week) The Ephesian believers evoked joy in Paul's heart as he remembered them in his prayers. Paul was constantly able to thank God for them because of their faith in Christ and their love for all believers. Paul's main desire for them was that they would grow in wisdom and be able to see Biblical truth with their heart. This results in true knowledge (knowing every detail possible) of three things: the eternal hope of our salvation, the riches of our inheritance, and the infinite power of God that is working for His children. Like replacing an old black and white TV with a 3D LCD TV, God can change our view of Himself and His Word from the dim view we have now to the way we ought to see Him. Like the Ephesians, we need to have the focused faith and limitless love to live now like we know the future. - Proverbs 17:7 – Mr. Frank Davis It is easy to make mistakes in communication, and Scripture has a lot to say about it. Godly speech is a mark of being one of His children, and our life should be so characterized by honesty that people who talk to us will have no reason to doubt what we say. We need to realize that the speech of those around us will impact us either for good or ill (I Cor 15:33). We must, therefore, make a concerted effort to turn away from all kinds of wicked speech and begin speaking graciously (Col. 3:8, 4:6, Eph. 4:29). Our speech must be that which promotes the spiritual development of those around us, and we cannot allow it to be anything that would bring reproach on the name of Christ (Titus 2:7-8). Rooted and Grounded in Jesus Christ - Colossians 2 – Pastor Josh Scheiderer What would it take to shake your faith? We say that Jesus is enough, but what about when tragedy strikes? Only those who are truly rooted and grounded in Jesus Christ are able to reject the lies of the world that work their way into our minds as we face difficult trials. Only those who are truly rooted and grounded in Jesus Christ are able to see the truth of Scripture that God allows trials into our lives to grow our faith and bring glory to Him. When trials come, will we blaspheme God with our carnal reaction or bring glory to Him with a heart that relies on Him?
2010-2011 School Year Continuing in What You Have Learned - II Timothy 3:14 – Pastor Scheiderer Just like not brushing your teeth may not have many immediate consequences, neglecting the Scripture you have learned may seem okay for a while. But just like the eventual tooth decay that results from not brushing, you will experience inevitable spiritual decay if you neglect what you have learned spiritually. What it really comes down to is Matthew 22:37 – do you love God with all your heart? We are designed by God to have a relationship with Him that is characterized by love, and any other type of relationship we try to develop just won’t work. God also created us to exist in a relationship of love with others. We are to love them just as much as we love ourselves. Another thing we are to continue in is God’s Word. Psalm 1 says that we are to immerse ourselves in God’s Word if we want to flourish. If we do this, we are able to flourish even though everything around us might be dry and barren. Living in an evil world is no excuse not to grow spiritually, because God’s Word is our oasis. We should also continue in what we have learned about using our tongue to glorify God and edify believers. James 3 shows us how powerful the tongue is and explains that the idea of blessing God and cursing men with the same tongue is completely irrational. Our theme verse, Colossians 2:6, says that we are to walk in Christ the same way we received Him – in belief and repentance. The Privilege of Being Ridiculed as a Christian - I Peter 4:12ff – Mr. Mike Hixson Philippians 1:29 says that we have been given two privileges: to be saved and to suffer for the Lord. I Peter 4 commands us to rejoice in our suffering even if we were to endure the same level of suffering that Christ did. Why should we rejoice in our suffering? First, we rejoice because suffering purifies us. When we take a stand against sin, we recognize more the extent of sin in our lives and it makes our resolve more ardently to avoid that sin in our lives. Second, we rejoice because we identify personally and publicly with the sufferings of Christ. When we suffer because of our devotion to Christ (not for our sin or foolishness), we are sharing a taste of the suffering He experienced. Third, we rejoice because we look forward to what lies ahead for those who endure. Finally, we rejoice because we have strength from the Holy Spirit. We may be tempted at times to ask, “If obeying Christ makes me so miserable, they why obey?” The answer is here – because the joy of doing what is right is far greater than the misery we might experience for a time here on earth. - Proverbs 5:11 – Pastor Todd Nye Pastor Nye shared with the students the effects, both outward and inward, of rejecting truth. The person Proverbs describes is the person who views instruction as an enemy, as a dripping faucet, and as something not worth listening to. This type of life often leads to physical hardness and difficulty, but the internal effects are far more devastating. As Sir Isaac Newton said, we sit “with an ocean of truth” all around us, and the key to avoiding the same lamentation of the man in Proverbs is to listen to, believe, and respect God’s Word. The Elevated Status and Responsibility of a Teacher - James 3:1 – Pastor Kent Hobi When asked how much he made, one teacher responded, “I make lives, and I make a difference.” For National Teacher Appreciation Week, the Booster Club arranged to have a special time of prayer and a message to the students that focus on what Scripture says about teachers. Pastor Kent shared four key points. First, teachers are the standard for understanding. It is the goal of good students to achieve and even surpass their teachers as they keep the Word of God the focus of their life (Psalm 119:99). Proverbs 5:11-13 explains that Godly teachers are to be followed. Second, teachers joyfully embrace a stricter judgment. II Timothy 4:3 shows how teachers are being constantly pulled by their students to teach what they want to hear rather than what they need to learn. But because they have received greater instruction and responsibility, they will be held to greater account if they deviate from what they are supposed to do (James 3:1). Third, teachers reflect the work of God in their profession. When teachers get a hold of a truth and long for their students to let it work in their lives, they pursue it and press their students like God presses us to follow His Word. Finally, teachers reflect that their teaching is of a different sort. As Nicodemus recognized that Jesus was a different kind of teacher, we should recognize that Godly teachers are commissioned by God to proclaim His Word. As Nicodemus saw Christ’s grace and truth, so students should see and hear gracious truth in their classrooms as their teachers reflect the image of Christ. Every teacher ought to be able to mimic Paul in saying, “Follow me, as I follow Christ.” - Isaiah 9:16 – Pastor Todd Nye Do you think that leadership is important? Isaiah 9:16 shows us how leading and following can be very risky business. You will never end up in any better place than the leadership you follow. One of the greatest sins of misguidance in churches today is the presentation of “easy believism.” Many pastors today focus so much on the gift of salvation that they ignore the necessity of repentance. Faith and repentance go inseparably hand in hand in salvation. So what makes “easy believism” so bad? First, it denies that faith in Christ must be accompanied by repentance from sin. Repentance is not the same as faith; it is a change of mind that produces a change in behavior. Second, it leads to false confessions of faith that lead men to hell. Third, it denies the transforming nature of the Gospel as II Corinthians 5:17 describes. Finally, it diminishes the power of God’s working in salvation. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of Heaven.” In other words, when someone is saved, they are given new life in Christ. The Bible calls all men to repentance. It is only through faith and repentance that a man can be saved. God’s Word Should Produce Growth in Your Life - Joshua 1:8 – Pastor Scheiderer Joshua 1:8 – Scripture should be on the forefront of our minds, and we need to discipline our minds to meditate on it and to do it. Psalm 119:18 – While Scripture can be difficult to understand at times, we can pray that God will help us to see all the wonderful things that are written in His Word. We need God so much that we need Him to help us read His Word. I Peter 2:2 – We have to realize our need for the Word, because being fed by the Word is the only way we will grow. Keep pouring the water of the Word on your soul and you will grow. If there is no green growth, then there is only dry death. Judges Gives a Picture of Unrepentant Sin - Judges 2 – Mr. Tim Meinhardt What is sin? What is God’s response to sin? According to Scripture, we must obey completely the Word of God. Anything short of perfection is sin. The smallest infraction of sin brings the ultimate consequence – hell. God is absolutely holy, so He requires absolute holiness. Since we are unable to meet His standard, God provided His Son to earn our salvation by taking our sin upon Himself on the cross and appeasing God’s wrath. Throughout the book of Judges, we see a great warning of how not following God leads us down a path that brings us to greater and greater sin and greater and greater judgment. Israel continuously followed a downward spiral as they turned to the false gods of the nations they failed to drive from the land, were punished by an oppressing nation, repented for a time, and were delivered by God’s judge. But in each case, they turn back to their idols and fall deeper into sin than they were before. These judges were not necessarily any better than the rest of the people, but God chose them to do His work – to deliver the people not just from the nations that were oppressing them, but to deliver them from the wickedness of their hearts that brought that oppression on them. From Judges we can learn the following: 1) God has given us the victory over sin just as He gave Israel victory over the land, but we must be thorough in eradicating sin from our lives; 2) Israel had no king, and everyone did what they thought was right, but if God is the king of our lives we will do what He says is right; and 3) God offers us the greater privilege of having His Holy Spirit to enable us to do all of this. A Much More Important Sacrifice - Matthew 16:21-27 – Pastor Greg Stiekes We’ve all heard the statement, “No pain, no gain.” But God offers those who decide to follow Him two things: 1) They will experience pain and trials and will have to sacrifice many things and 2) The glory of the reward of eternity in Heaven will be worth it. So what does it take to follow Christ? First, He said we must deny ourselves. In other words, we must put our own desires aside when they conflict with His desires. Many of these things are little things, and some are even good things, but in order to serve the Lord the way He wants we must let them go. Second, we must take up our cross. Visions of condemned people walking to their own execution were no doubt in the minds of those who were listening to Jesus. While martyrdom is a possibility, the more likely occurrences of a “cross” today are things like verbal abuse, mockery, and exclusion. These are nothing compared to the cross Christ bore for us. Finally, we must follow Christ. We must prioritize what He prioritizes – His Father’s will. We must do what He does – His Father’s work. We must love what He loves – His Father’s holy way. This is the path to blessing in your life. This is the eternal road that leads to the glory that Christ promises. What Do You Have that You Have Not Been Given? - I Corinthians 4:5-7 – Pastor Josh Scheiderer Coming off the recent BCSA Fine Arts Competition and looking forward to the AACS Nationals, Pastor Josh turns us to the message that Paul gave pastors in I Corinthians 4 concerning our attitude towards our accomplishments. While success is wonderful and failure is disappointing, of greater import is the lessons we learn from these experiences. Paul eliminates any room for boasting in success (and also indirectly prohibits being overly disappointed) by pointing out the fact that every talent and every accomplishment is the result of God’s work in us. Nothing we have has been generated from within us – God has done it all. The fact of the matter is that in regards to our talents, we should display the characteristic of our family. Humility is the natural attitude of a member of the family of God, but pride is characteristic of a member of Satan’s. True Christians will strive to live like their new family, not the old. Change is Possible in the Lord Jesus Christ - Ephesians 4 – Mr. Steve Sindelar If someone has been battling a sin habit that has become a life-dominating sin, the tendency might be for them to give up. Mr. Sindelar used Ephesians 4 to prove that change is possible in the Lord Jesus Christ. First, change is possible because of our relationship with Jesus Christ. We need to realize that in order for Jesus to change us into His image, we must be spending time in a relationship with Him. We cannot be influenced by someone we have no contact with, and the more contact we have with someone, the more likely they are to influence us. A mind and heart that is not engaged in a relationship with Christ will become dull in its understanding, calloused towards the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and even greedy for sensuality and impurity. Second, change is possible because of our position in Christ. We must put off the old man, because if we are in Christ, then it is dead. It is corrupt and will corrupt us if we refuse to put it off and live according to our new nature that we have in Him. This is the realization that can change a liar into a truth-teller, a raging man into a meek man, a thief into a hard worker, a foul mouth into an edifier, and an angry man into a kind and forgiving man. But none of this change will just happen. We have a position, but we must exercise ourselves to be Godly. We must train and strive to be Godly. With Christ we know it’s possible, and with the power He offers we can do it. - Luke 7:36 – Pastor Joe Tyrpak The Challenges of Being a Church Kid 1. We often doubt our salvation. When kids get saved at a young age, they don’t remember much about what they did and how they changed. They also often are surprised by how much sin is in their life as they get older and begin to recognize their sin nature more. 2. We often struggle with hypocrisy. We do a lot of things that we don’t really want to do, both good and bad. We realize that the easiest way to get through life is to just go along with the flow and not openly challenge authority. 3. We often crave worldliness. Many kids who are raised in Christian homes have never really experienced much sin. There is a natural tendency to look over the punishment that worldly people experience and just see the “fun” they are having. 4. We often see ourselves as pretty good. Because we compare ourselves to those who haven’t been raised in Christian homes, we lose sight of the fact that we are all wicked and have been saved from absolute depravity. We forget the awesomeness of God’s amazing grace. 5. We often lack a vibrant walk with God. If we have devotions, we do it because it’s a chore and we don’t want to feel guilty or because we don’t want God to “get us” if we don’t. Blessings of Being a Church Kid 1. We often have an enviable past. We grow up in a protective environment that spares us from bearing the scars of the sin we would have dabbled in and might have been consumed by. Most of those who grow up in a Christian home experience a love, a unity, and a stability that most people never experience, and if you establish your own home that way it will give you a decade head start on those who have been saved later in life. 2. We have enviable opportunities. We have been exposed to the Gospel innumerable times. We have encouragement to develop talents to serve the Lord 3. We have enviable knowledge. We know things that we have learned since we were young that we take for granted, but people come into our church every week who have no clue about anything in the Bible. Take time regularly to consider how much you have been forgiven. - Acts 20:17ff – Pastor Chris Anderson As one of the chapters that has impacted Pastor Chris’ life, Acts 20 describes in Paul’s own words his mission: the Gospel. In verse 24, he says that he doesn’t care what happens to him physically as long as he can stand before God as one who has shared the Gospel with the world. As we read the rest of the New Testament, we see that this wasn’t just a boastful claim, but the reality of his life. Like Paul, our drive in life ought to be the Gospel. The rest of life should just support that mission. - Psalm 77:11-12 – Mr. Tom Spence
- Exodus 34:6 – Mr. Tim Meinhardt
Three Relationships to Be Careful of in the Second Semester - Proverbs 4:23 – Mr. Frank Davis
Preparing for God’s Final Exam - Revelation 20 – Pastor Josh Scheiderer
Why the Incarnation is Practically Important - Philippians 2, Hebrews 2 – Pastor Tim Potter
- Ephesians 1 – Pastor Chris Anderson
How You Know You Have the Gift of Salvation - I John 5:13 – Mr. Mike Hixson
- Matthew 5:13 – Mr. Steve Sindelar
God Alone Brings Lasting Contentment - Jeremiah 2: – Mr. Steve Sindelar
Proving the Will of God, and Why to Choose a Christian College - Romans 12:1-2 – Mr. Harris, Maranatha Baptist Bible College
- Genesis 3, Exodus 26 – Pastor Chris Anderson
- Romans 13:8-10 – Mr. Mike Hixson
Remember Now Your Creator in the Days of Your Youth - Ecclesiastes 12:1 – Pastor Josh Scheiderer
Praying to God According to Who He Is - Habakkuk 1:1-2: – Missionary Jonathan Farmer
- I Peter 5:5-7 – Pastor Tim Potter Pastor Tim spoke about a sin that is often rationalized and excused yet is still sin. When a person considers the sovereignty of God (I Peter 5:5-7), he sees that humility is the absence of anxiety, and anxiety is the absence of humility. If he is all bound up by worry, then he is not humbly recognizing that he is not in control of his circumstances and that he is not the authority of his life. In Matthew 6:24-34, we see that the sin of worry is also an act of doubting God’s promises. God has promised His people that they will never go without their basic necessities. The Unbelieving Hearts of the Forgiven - Genesis 50:15-21 – Mr. Ryan Dupee
Radical Amputation-Sin Replacement, God’s Way - Ephesians 4:17-32 – Mr. Ryan Dupee
- Ezekiel 14 – Mr. Ryan Dupee
Fellowship with God and Fellowship with Others - I John 1 – Mr. Ryan Dupee
The Attitude and Action of Thankfulness - Luke 17:11-19 – Dr. Joel Huffstutler
Mr. Davis' Salvation Testimony - Ephesians 2:8-10 – Mr. Frank Davis
Saved and Walking in Faith and Repentance - Colossians 2:6 – Pastor Josh Scheiderer
2009-2010 School Year The Heart that Receives the Word of God - Mark 4:1-20 – Pastor Brett Smith Pastor Smith used the parable of the soils to emphasize a common theme of Scripture – without the proper heart, what you do means nothing for the Lord. We can do many things, but if they are not done with a heart of service to Christ, they are worthless. Our heart determines how we receive the Word of God, and if we aren’t receiving the Word right, then we cannot serve right. Jesus described four kinds of hearts. The Unbelieving Heart will hear the Word, but nothing they hear will impact them, because they are so calloused and hard-hearted. They refuse to receive the Word and refuse to allow God to work in their heart. The person with this kind of heart will quickly forget the Word and will get carried away in sin. The Superficial Heart initially receives the Word, but there is no depth to their commitment. The person with this kind of heart is able to fool everybody around until the heat comes and their shallow root system isn’t able to sustain them. This person is dangerous, because they often remain hidden and draw others into their same mindset. The Carnal Heart is the heart that is unable to receive the Word and really grown because it is drawn away and distracted by the world. Like weeds in a garden, carnality in the heart will grow twice as fast as the good, and before long it will take over. The Spiritually Sensitive Heart listens to God’s Word, accepts it, and allows it to produce spiritual change. The person with this kind of heart is able to be used by God. The blessing of all of this is that even if someone has an unbelieving heart, God is able to soften it. If someone has a superficial heart, God is able to give it depth. If someone has a carnal heart, God is able to dig up and sweep away the weeds. God’s desire is for every believer to produce fruit as they have a heart that is ready to receive and apply the Word.
- Ephesians 5:1-17 - Pastor Josh Scheiderer Some of us have gone to the buffet of entertainment choices and have chosen things that are good, while some have chosen “moldy bread.” We have fed ourselves with things that should not even be mentioned among Christian company. We need to get rid of wicked entertainment, evaluate why we make the choices we make, and consider how we respond to those who choose right or wrong. Our ultimate concern as we make entertainment choices must be to obey vs. 1 – “Be imitators of God as dear children.” We need to recognize that the wicked things the world has to offer are harmful to us, are passing away, and placed Christ on the cross. We must love Christ and hate the things that put Him on the cross.
Living in the Power of the Resurrection - Ephesians 1:15-2:10 - Pastor Josh Scheiderer We are born spiritually dead. But Christ is the Resurrection and the Life! He can give us life, because He has defeated death! Pastor Scheiderer challenged all of us today with this reality. On one hand, some have not accepted Christ as the payment for their sins and repented and, as a result, are still dead in their sin and destined for eternal judgment in Hell. On the other hand, those who are believers need to grow in their understanding of the power of Christ’s resurrection as it has worked in us to resurrect us from our dead condition in our sin. The more we realize the power working in us, the more we are able to do the work “which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 4 and 5 contain many commands that are impossible for the unbeliever to obey and that the believer is only able to obey when he relies on the power of God working in him. We are in need of resurrection power, because we are not capable of obeying on our own. We are able to be honest, to deal with anger and disappointment in a righteous way, not to steal, to edify others with our speech rather than spewing out corruption, to be tender to the Holy Spirit rather than grieve Him, to forgive those who wrong us, to be sexually pure, and so on – all through Christ’s power alone!
Forgiveness - One of the Greatest Evidences of a Changed Life - Philemon 4-7 - Mr. Mike Hixson
- John 12:12-13 - Pastor Brett Smith
Contentment from Believing in Our Good God
Pastor Scheiderer used the story of Gehazi to show us the danger of covetousness. The King of Syria sent hundreds of thousands of dollars and new clothes to the King of Israel to try to get his servant Naaman healed. When he can do nothing, the King sends him to Elisha, who heals him, and offers Elisha the same gifts. Elisha turns down the gifts, but Gehazi lets his covetousness and discontent rule him as he runs after Naaman and lies to him, then returns and lies to Elisha. When we become consumed with wanting things, we will end up sinning more and more. As a result, we won’t even be able to really enjoy what we gain through our sinful pursuits. In Gehazi’s case, he was cursed with leprosy and sent away from Elisha. We naturally have a burning desire always to have more. But Psalm 145:15-17 and Matthew 5:45 show us the reality that God is caring for us to give us exactly what we need exactly when we need it. To covet more is simply to believe that we know better than God. If we desire contentment in our lives, then we must believe that God is good. We can’t try to wait until we’re content to believe God is good, because Ecclesiastes shows us that we will never achieve contentment apart from God. Hebrews 13:5-6 says: “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
Contrasting the Upright and the Wicked
Remembering first Proverbs 1:7 and 9:10, that the wisdom of Proverbs will only be understood by those who fear God, Pastor Kent led us through chapter 12 as it contrasts the upright man and the wicked man. First, the upright man loves instruction and gains a reputation as a lover of knowledge, while the wicked man hates instruction and gains a reputation for being stupid (vs. 1). In short, a godly man has a disposition that embraces discipline and instruction and will be sought after for advice in the end. Second, the upright man seeks to be favored by the Lord, while the wicked man dwells on evil and plans ways to be evil (vs. 2). We need to be constantly mindful of our thoughts and purposely directing them to things that are pleasing to God as Philippians 4:8 describes.
- Isaiah 55 - Dr. Phil Kamibyashiyama Dr. Kamibyashiyama, missionary to the Philippines, shared with us Isaiah’s revelation of the only source of true satisfaction. In the context of Isaiah’s warning of coming judgment, he offers the message to all people that satisfaction of soul comes only from hearing God’s Word and seeking Him. Often we work and spend money on things and seek out friends to try to satisfy our souls, but they will not. None of those things can bring true joy or peace to our hearts. To seek God, we must forsake our sin and turn to Him, trusting that His way and His thoughts are better than our own.
How Can a Believer Learn to Obey More? - I Thessalonians 5:23-24 - Pastor Josh Scheiderer After asking the question, “Do you want to obey God?” Pastor Josh explains that those who are saved and therefore desire to obey God can grow to obey more. Progressive sanctification is the process every true Christian goes through as they learn to put off their sinful man more and more and to put on Christlikeness more and more. God’s purpose for every believer is that they would be set apart to live a holy life and therefore reflect God’s holy character. But are we praying for sanctification? Pastor Josh shared with us four aspects of what prayer for sanctification is like: 1) It is made to the God of Peace Himself, 2) It is for both internal and external sanctification, 3) It aims for God’s goal-blamelessness, 4) It looks to glorification.
Crutches – The Things We Depend on to Live Apart from God’s Word - Amos 6:1-6 - Pastor Bret Smith Pastor Smith used the example of the Israelites in Amos’ day to show how Christians often have things in their lives that they are depending on to attempt to live apart from God’s Word. We often allow the crutch of the present, the crutch of procrastination, and the crutch of pleasure to keep us from doing God’s will. We are living for today without any consideration for future consequences, thinking that we can put off judgment forever like we are somehow in control of all the consequences of our actions, and immersing ourselves in recreation that keeps us from seeing the coming judgment and makes us lose all sensitivity to the leading of God in our lives. But I Peter 4:1-4 shows us what God does to help us throw these crutches away – He sends trials our way that force us to flee to Him in faithful, dependent prayer.
Our Greatest Treasure Aside from Christ - I Thessalonians 2:13 - Pastor Tim Potter Pastor Tim asked the question, “What is the greatest treasure in your life?” He described the Thessalonians’ passion for God’s Word after they had heard it from Paul. He showed from Scripture how the Bible is like no other book in that it will affect our consciences and convict our hearts. Hebrews 4:12 and James 1:25 tells us of the unique power of God’s Word to change our lives if we will listen to it and obey it. The power of God’s Word makes it a precious treasure to those who believe in God and are trusting Him to lead them in what they should do, and God promises us that it will accomplish its purpose in our lives.
Seven Truths About Knowing What God’s Will is for Your Life - Pastor Kevin Matthia, Missionary to Germany As Christians, our sole desire should be to please God with the decisions we make. But how do we know whether what we decide will please Him or not? Pastor Matthia gave us seven truths from Scripture that will help lead us to understand what God wants us to do in every situation. God leads all Christians in His will through His Word, through the desires of a surrendered heart, through past experiences, through current experiences, through Godly advisors, through submission to authority, and through the application of prayer.
Heroes of the Faith: Gideon, part 1 Heroes of the Faith: Gideon, part 2 - Hebrews 11:32, Judges 6-7 - Mr. Jeff Houck Mr. Houck used the story of Gideon to show how God can use any of us to do His work, because no matter who we are, God is the one doing the work through us. God used Gideon, despite the fact that he was a scared, faithless, nobody. God was able to turn his fear into confidence, to build his faith, and to turn him into a man that is remembered thousands of years later for leading one of the most amazing military victories in history. God began to prepare him by having him replace his town’s altar to Baal with an altar to God. Gideon failed at times, but faith enabled Gideon to be used by God to defeat the Midianites and free Israel from their oppression. God’s tender reassurances and instruction transformed him from a timid nobody into a courageous leader who trusted God alone for the victory. - I Timothy 2:8-10 - Pastor Josh Scheiderer Pastor Scheiderer began today’s message with the question, “Why are you here?” We are here to glorify God – to know His likes and dislikes, to find out what He’s like, to learn what He’s done, to communicate with Him and listen when He communicates with us, and to tell others about Him. We are here for His pleasure. Following a brief discussion of this, he taught us that dressing modestly goes beyond avoiding revealing clothes. If our purpose is truly to glorify God, then our purpose in dressing ourselves will not be to draw attention to us. Any attention drawn to us ought to be the result of humble good works, not prideful self-promotion. Pastor Scheiderer used these principles to attempt to get to focus the hearts on the motives behind why we wear what we wear rather than simply focusing on written standards, because if our motive is to glorify God and we search His Word to develop our standards, then they will naturally be above reproach. - I Timothy 4:12 - Pastor Brett Smith Pastor Smith encourages the students not to allow themselves to feel insignificant or useless for the Lord as a result of their age. Every Christian can be an example for others to follow in six ways: Speech, Behavior, Christian love, Relationship with God, Biblical convictions, and Purity in actions and motives. Every Christian can live in such a way that others will look at them and see a Godly example regardless of their age.
Progressing in Faith to a Mature Knowledge of Christ - II Peter 1 - Pastor Tim Potter Pastor Tim begins today's message by describing the reality of our salvation - the sure hope we have in Christ. He then spent the majority of the time outlining our responsibility - the seven natural character traits that flow from true saving faith found in vs. 5-8: a good public testimony, a growing understanding of God's Word, power over our natural passions, patience in difficult circumstances, pursuing Godly character, developing close friendships with other Christians, and choosing to love God and others by making right choices. These all point us to the reward of our salvation which is described in the rest of the chapter. "A Realistic Look at the Power of God to Make Sure His People Obey Him" - Lamentations 3 - Pastor Kent Hobi Pastor Kent reminds us that, while God is incredibly longsuffering, He is also holy and righteous. God loves His people enough to make them incredibly miserable in their sin, and He loves His people enough to be ready always to deliver them from their sin. God’s faithful mercy is able to “stop the freight train of God’s wrath” when we call out to Him for forgiveness. We must simply stop pleading our case before Him and accept our guilt in complete repentance. "The Greatest Christian Virtue – Love" - I Corinthians 13 - Evangelist Mark Kittrell Evangelist Kittrell shares with us what the Bible says is the greatest Christian Virtue: Love. Love holds Priority over every ability, all spiritual knowledge, or any personal sacrifice. He then goes on to explain the true Character of love as it is described both by what it is and what it is not in the following verses. He then challenges us to cultivate this kind of love in all our relationships as we seek to become more Christ-like in our daily living. - Hebrews 12:1-2 - Pastor Josh Scheiderer Pastor Josh brings us back to this year’s theme of “Looking unto Jesus” to show us that if we continually look to Jesus in repentance and belief, we can stand in faith right alongside the heroes just mentioned in chapter 11. There are sins that we have to battle on an ongoing basis, and if we are not looking to Him at every moment, we can very easily get off track spiritually. He encouraged us to keep fighting against the sin that hangs on to us to lay it aside and to believe in Jesus Christ so we can claim the victory over sin that was won by Him on the cross. "Biblical Humility is Peaceful" - Proverbs 30:32-33 - Pastor Kent Hobi Proverbs 30 gives four qualities of Biblical humility: 1) Reverence (vs. 1-9); 2) Showing Restraint (vs. 10-17); 3) Showing Wonder (vs. 18-31); and 4) Peacefulness (vs. 32-33). Pastor Kent focuses on the final point of the chapter to show that pride has natural and unavoidable consequences. How does a Godly man deal with this sin and its consequences? Literally stop talking. Stop defending yourself. Stop insisting you’re right. Stop exalting yourself in the eyes of others. Start listening to and learning from God’s Word and grow in the fear of the Lord.
"Faithfulness will Result in Fruitfulness" - Matthew 25, Luke 19 - Mr. Mike Hixson Mr. Hixson used the Parable of the Talents and the Parable of the Minas to pose the question, “You’ve been given something – What do you have to show for it?” These parables illustrate these principles: 1) God gives every believer the resources to serve Him, 2) God expects His resources to be used for His pleasure, and 3) You will give an account before God as to how you use His resources. The privileges of going to a Christian school, being taught in a good church, and growing up in a Christian family make us especially responsible to live for the Lord, and true saving faith will seek to cultivate the resources at hand to be as fruitful as possible for the Lord. "Do You Struggle with a Hard Heart?" - Mark 6 - Pastor Brett Smith Pastor Smith challenged us from Mark 6 to avoid allowing our hearts to become hard. He pointed out how a hard heart 1) Inhibits God’s ministry in our lives, 2) Brings God’s judgment, and 3) Blinds our eyes. He used the illustration of dry wall mud to show how, when left alone, hearts will by nature become hard, but when being mixed with the water of the Word and fellowship, can be kept soft. - Pastor Joe Tyrpak Pastor Joe shared with us a brief biography of the famous hymn writer Philip P. Bliss. After telling of Bliss’ unexpected death in a train accident when a bridge collapsed in Ashtabula, he challenged us to take advantage of the time we have on earth by doing all we can for the Lord. |
