December 6, 2020 ~ "The One-of-a-Kind King"

 Pastor Mitchell Cruit

This text is tailored to teach us that Jesus is the One-Of-A-Kind King.

I. Joseph’s Dilemma (v.18-19)

II. God’s Solution (v.20-23)

    A. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 

    B. Jesus will save his people from their sin.

    C. Jesus is God’s presence with his people.

III. Joseph’s Response (v.24-25)

The revelation of Jesus’ person and work requires a one-of-a-kind response from us.

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November 29, 2020 ~ "The King For All"

 Pastor Mitchell Cruit

This text is tailored to teach us that Jesus is the King we’ve been waiting for.

I. Jesus’ Genealogy

    A. It is selective.

    B. It is unexpected.

    C. It is purposeful.

II. Jesus’ Purpose

    A. Jesus is the Christ, who came to deliver his people.

    B. Jesus is the Son of David, who came to establish his kingdom forever.

    C. Jesus is the Son of Abraham, who came to bless all peoples on the earth.

III. Jesus’ People.

    - Jesus came for the least, the lost, and the left out.

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November 22, 2020 ~ "God's Unfailing Kindness in Redemption"

 Pastor Rory Dardich

We will see that God’s unfailing kindness is ultimately revealed in redemption He provides.

I. A significant formal legal transaction. (v.1-12)

This redemption is not to be taken lightly - it is a risky, costly endeavor.

This redemption is accompanied by blessing.

II. A redeeming child is born in Bethlehem. (v.13-17)

III. Just how many redeemers are in this story? (v.18-22)

IV. Applications for the redeemed:

    A. Salvation in Jesus is “THE payoff” - He is our prize!

    B. Our redemption - this salvation in Christ brings transformation!

        1. Our purpose is now bigger than ourselves.

        2. We can keep our focus on Jesus when things are going well.

        3. We can endure hardship.

        4. We are called to be agents of loving kindness & redemption.

        5. We need to be prepared to be sacrificial.

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November 15, 2020 ~ "God's Unfailing Kindness in Risky Situations"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit

This text is tailored to teach us that God’s unfailing kindness provides rest.

I. God’s unfailing kindness provides rest through faith. (v. 1-5)

A. Faith is intentional. 

B. Faith is risky.

II. God’s unfailing kindness provides rest through a redeemer. (v. 6-13)

III. God’s unfailing kindness provides rest after a wait. (v. 14-18)

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November 8, 2020 ~ "God’s Unfailing Kindness in 'Chance' Encounters"

 Pastor Mitchell Cruit

I. The Story

A. Ruth chances upon a chance into the field of Boaz. (v. 1-4a)

B. Boaz shows extraordinary, underserved, and abundant kindness to Ruth. (v. 4b-17)

C. Ruth and Naomi respond to Boaz’s unfailing kindness with awe. (v. 18-23, cf. 10, 13)

II. The Story Applied: This text is tailored to teach us the Lord's unfailing kindness through “chance” encounters invites us to respond to the Lord's generosity with awe.  

A. The Lord sovereignly uses “chance” encounters to show his unfailing kindness.

B. The Lord's unfailing kindness is extraordinary, undeserved, and abundant.

C. The appropriate response to Lord’s unfailing kindness is awe.  

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November 1, 2020 ~ "God’s Unfailing Kindness in Suffering"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit

I. Life apart from God promises life, but can only deliver death. (v.1-5)

II. God shows unfailing kindness through people. (v. 6-18)

III. God shows unfailing kindness in the midst of suffering. (v.19-22)

This text is tailored to teach us God's unfailing kindness in the midst of suffering invites us to return to him.

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October 25, 2020 ~ "A Flourishing Church"

Guest Pastor Jason Harms

God has called your church to be a flourishing Christian community. 

Three Characteristics of a Flourishing Christian Community:

1) A devoted community (v.42-43)

• ...to the teaching of God’s Word
• ...to the fellowship
• ...to the breaking of bread
• ...to praying together

2) A unified community (v.44-45)

3) A growing community (v.46-47)

How is God calling you to take part in making your church a flourishing Christian community? 

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October 18, 2020 ~ "Rock Bottom: Deposition, Dethronement, & Devastation"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit 

This text is tailored to teach us that when God isn’t king, devastation reigns among God’s people. 

6 Pictures of the Devastation that Reigns Among God’s People When God Isn’t King

1. God’s people fight God’s people rather than God’s enemies. (20:1-11, cf. Eph. 6:12, Col. 1:9)
2. God’s people defend their tribe rather than God’s justice. (20:12-17)
3. God’s people assume their judgment is right rather than seeking God’s judgment. (20:18-35)
4. God’s people act vindictively rather than justly. (20:36-48)
5. God’s people blame God for the consequences of their sin rather than repent of their sin. (21:1-3, cf. 21:15)
6. God’s people use their own wisdom to justify their sin. (21:4-24)

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October 11, 2020 ~ "Rock Bottom: When the Church Looks Like the World"

 Pastor Mitchell Cruit

This text is tailored to teach us that even God’s people can become just like the world.

I. Israel’s Example (19:1-30)

II. How do God’s people become just like the world? (v. 1, cf. 1 Sam. 8:5-7)

• God’s people become just like the world when they ignore God’s reign.

III. What does it look like when God’s people become just like the world?

• God’s people become like the world, when we become inhospitable. (v.17-22)
• God’s people become like the world, when we ignore God’s design for physical intimacy. (v.22-25)
• God’s people become like the world, when we fail to protect the vulnerable and grow callous to their cause. (v. 24-29)

IV. Jesus brings back to God even those who are like the world through his death on the cross. (cf. Rom. 5:10)

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October 4, 2020 ~ "Rock Bottom: Have it Your Way"

 Pastor Mitchell Cruit

This text is tailored to teach us you can’t have God your way.

I. 5 Symptoms of the Disease Within

A. People “devoted” to God try to have God their way. (17:1-6)

B. People try to have it their way with God’s approval. (17:7-18:1a)

C. People, who should defend God’s way, defend their way. (18:1b-6)

D. People, who seek their own way, lose everything. (18:7-26)

E. People, who seek their own way, succeed, but only for a season. (18:27-31)

II. The Antidote: We must commit to follow the way of the True King, personally. (17:6, 18:1, 18:30 cf. John 14:6)

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September 27, 2020 ~ "Joining Jesus in His Mission"

 Church Planting Catalyst, Gene Wilson

I. Why Plant Churches? 5 Compelling Reasons

II. God’s Mission Team

    A. The Setting (v. 19)

    B. The Sending (v. 20-23)

    C. TheSurrendering(The Book of Acts)

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September 20 ,2020 ~ "Prayers of Trust"

 Pastor Mitchell Cruit

The Principle of Trust: This text is tailored to teach us that when the Lord is our shepherd, we can trust him. (v. 1)

Adore: 5 Reasons to Trust the Lord (v.2-6)

The Lord shepherds us with his provision. (v. 2)

The Lord shepherds us with his guidance. (v. 3, cf. Isa. 53:6)

The Lord shepherds us with his protection. (v. 4)

The Lord shepherds us with his presence. (v. 5-6)

Jesus is the good shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep. (cf. John 10:11)

Admit and Aspire: 3 Ways We Can Respond to Psalm 23

You can respond by admitting you’re a sinner in need of a Savior, and you can trust Jesus to save you from your sin and to bring you back to God.

You can respond by admitting ways you don’t trust the Lord to be your shepherd and aspire to trust the Lord.

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September 13, 2020 ~ "Prayers of Dependence"

 Pastor Rory Dardich

Psalm 127 was written and sung, or prayed to serve as a strong reminder of our true & complete dependence on the Lord instead of on our human striving.

I. We depend on the Lord for Shelter, Security & Sustenance. (v.1-2)

A. Confronting the persistent original human failure.

B. Not chastisement for working hard, nor a license for laziness.

C. This is a call to examine the evidence of your allegiance revealed by how you live.

II. We depend on the Lord for Posterity, Support & Reputation. (v.3-5)

A.The blessings of the Lord on the godly family are many and varied.

B.Why arrows?

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September 6, 2020 ~ "Prayers of Lament"

 Guest Pastor, Jay Hand

Your Way Was Through The Sea: Seeking the The Lord in the Day of Trouble

1) God desires ​honest​ prayer. (v.1-9)

-Honesty​ cultivates ​intimacy​.

2) Honest Prayer​ + ​God’s Word​ = ​Heart Change (v.10-20)

-In our ​despair​, we must remember the ​promises​ of God.

-Remembering promises ​kept​, gives us hope in God’s promises ​yet to be fulfilled.

3) God’s ​way​ is through the ​sea.​ (v.16-20)

-Christ ​is our ​Shepherd​ who leads us through the ​water.

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August 30, 2020 ~ "Prayers of Confession"

Elder, Ron Padilla

We all need to confess our sin daily to receive God’s forgiveness.

I. What Confession Provides

  A. Confession provides happiness. (v. 1-2)

  B. Confession provides freedom from spiritual anguish. (v. 3-4)

  C. Confession provides forgiveness for all. (v. 5)

  D. Confession provides a stronghold. (v. 6-7)

II. How Confession Changes Our Lives

  A. Confession allows us to disciple others. (v. 8)

  B. Confession allows His will be done, not ours. (v. 9-10)

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August 23, 2020 ~ "Praying the Word"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit

This text is tailored to teach us that the pathway to prayer is joyful meditation on God’s Word.

The Blessed Person’s Way (v.1-2)

The blessed person does not associate with the ungodly. 

The blessed person delights in and meditates on God’s Word.

The Blessed Person’s Fruit (v. 3-4)

The blessed person through joyful meditation on God’s Word is stable through troubled times.

The blessed person through joyful meditation on God’s Word bears fruit in its season.

The End of Two Different Ways (v. 5-6)

The way of the wicked ends in judgment and destruction, while the way of the righteous ends in being known by God. 

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August 16, 2020 ~ "Rock Bottom: Epic Fail"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit                                   This text is tailored to teach us that God accomplishes his purposes not just in spite of our sinfulness, but through our sinfulness.

A. Since God accomplishes his purposes through our sinfulness, we must not mistake giftedness for godliness.

B. God accomplished salvation not in spite of the cross, but through the cross.

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August 9, 2020 ~ "Rock Bottom: No Pinky Promises Necessary"

 

Pastor Mitchell Cruit

This text is tailored to teach us that God brings hope to the hopeless by being a promise-making and promise-keeping God.

Our Hopeless Situation (12:8-13:1)

Living without God has become normal. (12:8-15)

Sin has become invisible. (13:1a)

Oppression has become satisfactory. (13:1b)

God’s Response to Our Hopeless Situation

God makes a promise. (13:2-5)

God gives himself. (13:6-23, cf. Psalm 135:6)

God keeps his promise. (13:24-25)

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August 2, 2020 ~ "Rock Bottom: Ignorance Kills"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit

This text is tailored to teach us that knowing God’s Word  without knowing God’s heart ends in death.

1. There is a danger in reading God’s Word as merely  a factbook… so read God’s Word to know the heart of God.

 

2. The danger in not reading God’s Word is that we won’t know what pleases God… so read God’s Word to know what pleases God.

3. There is a danger in not submitting to God’s Word, so read God’s Word humbly to expose your unbiblical beliefs and practices.

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July 26, 2020 ~ "Rock Bottom: Mercy in Misery"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit

This text is tailored to teach us that apostasy happens gradually not immediately.

Why does apostasy happen gradually not immediately?

    - Because we are our own greatest enemy. (v. 1-2)

    - Because apostasy begins with small compromises. (v.3-5)

Apostasy is forsaking God because we are enslaved to idolatry. (v. 6-10)

Apostasy is using God to support our idolatry. (v. 11-16a)

We can only be delivered by God’s mercy. (v. 16b) 

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July 19, 2020 ~ "Rock Bottom: The Avenger"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit

The Story:

God’s people make a worthless man king.

Mutual destruction is pronounced on worthless men for acting faithlessly.

Biblically unqualified leadership is disastrous for God’s people.

The people revile their worthless king. 

The worthless king seeks vengeance against those who challenged him.

The worthless king is killed shamefully.

This text is tailored to teach us that God avenges every injustice.

Three truths about God’s present judgment:

    Judgment is unseen.

    Judgment comes after a wait.

    Judgment comes through the outworking of human sin.

God avenges every injustice so we don’t have to.

God avenges every injustice, including our own, so we need a Savior King.

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July 12, 2020 ~ "Rock Bottom: Wannabe Hero"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit

I. The Story Itself

II. The Story Revisited

III. The Story Applied

- This text is tailored to teach us that God delivers us even when we’re unfaithful.

- We can never be too unfaithful for God.

- We should be thankful for God’s deliverance not angered by another’s unfaithfulness.

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July 5, 2020 ~ "Rock Bottom: Spiritual Malpractice"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit

This text is tailored to teach us that God provides the deliverance needed even to those who are blind to their true spiritual condition.

I. God's people receive the just judgement for breaking their covenant with God.

II. God diagnoses his people's true spiritual condition as disobedience. (v7-10)

III. God takes the initiative to deliver his people before they repent .

(v 11-12, cf. Rom 3:10-11, John 3:3)

IV. God does not relent from delivering his people even when his deliverance is met with resistance. (v 13-32)

V. God shows grace in the midst of unbelief. (v33-40, cf Mark 9:23-24)

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June 28, 2020 ~ "Rock Bottom: FOMO"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit

This text is tailored to teach us that an unwilling heart forfeits the rewards of faith.

Questions for Reflection:

a. What is God calling you to that you are unwilling to trust him in?

b. What is causing your unwillingness?

c. What reward are you forfeiting by not trusting in him?

d. What specific promises does God offer for your situation?

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June 21, 2020 ~ "Rock Bottom: The Perfect Plan?"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit

I. How does God deliver his people?

II. What difference does this reality make?

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June 14, 2020 ~ "Rock Bottom: God Who?"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit

The Story Itself

Israel forgets. (v. 7)

Israel sins. (v. 7) 

Israel is oppressed. (v. 8) 

Israel cries out. (v. 9)

God delivers Israel. (v.9-10)

Israel rests. (v. 11)

The Story Applied

This text is tailored to teach us don’t forget, God delivers.

How do we remember?

Read the Word daily.

Hear the Word proclaimed.

See the Word displayed. 

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June 7, 2020 ~ "Rock Bottom: It Gets Worse"

Pastor Rory Dardich
“Those who do not know YAHWEH are condemned to repeat their sin patterns.”

I. The next generation did not know / acknowledge YAHWEH.  (v.10-13)
II. God’s Promise is Fulfilled (v.14-15)
III. The Judges Cycle (v.16-19)
IV. The only true and complete rescue from this cycle is Jesus.

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May 31, 2020 ~ "Rock Bottom: Foundational Cracks"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit
I. Principles for Interpreting Judges
II. The History of Israel’s Conquest of Canaan. (1:1-36)
III. God’s Assessment of Israel’s Conquest of Canaan (2:1-5)
IV. Applying God’s Assessment to Our Lives

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May 24, 2020 ~ "The Riches of the Gospel"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit
This text is tailored to teach us the gospel invites us to displace lesser loves in our heart with the perfect love of Christ. 

I. Personally, we displace corruption with Christlikeness because of the greatness of God and the already-not yet reign of Christ. (v. 11-16)

II. Materially, we displace confidence in riches with hope in God because of the generosity of God. (v. 17-19)

III. Doctrinally, we displace false knowledge with guarding the gospel because of the danger ahead. (v.20-21)

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May 17, 2020 ~ "The Contentment of the Gospel"

Pastor Mitchell Cruit
I.  From whom must we protect the contentment found in the gospel? (v. 3-5)
II. How must we protect the contentment found in the gospel? (v.6-8)
III. Why must we protect the contentment found in the gospel? (v.9-10)

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