Useful Onesimus (Philemon 8-14; Mark 10:35-45)
/Onesimus proves to be useful to Paul and Philemon because he provides an opportunity for each to freely lay down their rights and walk in a manner worthy of those who belong to Jesus.
When It All Comes Down (Philemon 1-7; Genesis 4:1-9)
/The book of Philemon is about asking the simple question: “When it all comes down, does the cross affect how you live?”
My Memorial (Luke 22:7-23)
/John uses the feeding of the five thousand on the mountain to show us that the Lord’s Supper is a Spiritual, or heavenly meal, that is intended to feed our souls rather than our bellies
The Gift of Unity (Ephesians 4:1-6; Genesis 2:8-15)
/Unity is a gift that God has given the church and therefore requires that we give ourselves to guarding and protecting it.
No Greater Friend (Psalms 25-34; John 15:13)
/Psalms 25 through 34 teach us to seek friendship with God (rather than the world) because God lays his life down for his friends.
Madmen (Psalm 34; 1 Samuel 21:10-15; 2 Corinthians 4:7-18; 11:1-12:13)
/David teaches us to boast in our weakness for, though it is foolish to the world and humbling, it is where God’s power is made perfect and we find life.
The Resurrection of Esther (Esther 4:13 - 5:6; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
/Esther, by resigning herself to death and being rewarded with new life and a kingdom on the third day, established the pattern for the coming Messiah and informs us of what awaits those who lose their lives for Christ’s sake.
We Shall Not Fear (Psalm 46; Matthew 8:23-27)
/Brian Guinto is our former Summer Intern (2014). He was back in town and we invited him to bring God's word to us, which he kindly did.
Glory Descending (Psalm 33; Philippians 2:5-11)
/God's glory is demonstrated in his power and his exaltation, but also in his willingness to descend in weakness in order to save those he loves.
Righteous Sinners (Psalm 31; Romans 4:1-12)
/Comfort comes to sinners, not when they hide their sins, but when the confess them to God and turn to him in faith, seeking mercy and grace.
Into Your Hands (Psalm 32; Luke 23:39-47)
/True faith expresses itself in the face of death—confident that deliverance awaits the friends of the Lord on the other side.
No Comfort (For the Wicked) (Nahum 3:1-19; John 11:1-44; 16:1-11)
/God’s justice is retributive—it deals with sin as sin deserves—it is this reality that both terrifies the unrepentant and comforts the humble.
Comfort for the Plundered (Nahum 2:1-13; Revelation 12:10-11)
/Yahweh comforts his oppressed and plundered people with a vision of what lies ahead—a judgment that doesn’t just bring deliverance, but restoration to glory as well.
A Refuge for the Proud (Psalm 30)
/We will see that as David meditates upon his own experience, where God humbled and restored him, he is driven, not just to praise, but to invite others to do the same.
Comfort for the Enslaved (Nahum 1:11-15; Isaiah 9:2-7)
/God gives his people hope, in the midst of their grief, by directing their eyes to Mount Zion from where their hope comes and to assure them that they will one day feast in his presence.
Comforted by Wrath (Nahum 1:1-10; Matthew 27:45-54)
/In this section we see that God comforts his afflicted people with a promise that he will judge those who mistreat his people.
The Great Question (Jonah 4:5-11; Luke 15:11-32)
/God gives and removes temporal blessings in order to teach Jonah to value the gifts he gives out of his free and loving grace.
The Baptism of Jesus (Mark 1:9-11; 10:35-45)
/The baptism of Jesus was intended to teach us why he came—to suffer wrath and curse (in order that we might be saved).
The Great Complaint (Jonah 4:1-4; 1 Corinthians 13:1-7, 13)
/Jonah confesses that he is frustrated with God’s unchanging mercy and compassion, but it is that mercy that is his only hope.
The Great Humiliation (Jonah 3:1-10; Matthew 16:13-23)
/But, as we will see in our passage this morning, God is a God of second chances who delights in showing compassion and is pleased when we confess that we have nothing to offer him.