Sermons by Date (RSS Test)

Pastor Elwart — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:05:23 +0000

Date Passage Title

07/11/10 AM Mark 8:1-10 The Gentiles are Fed

07/04/10 AM Mark 7:24-37 Ministry to the Gentiles

06/27/10 AM Mark 7:1-23 The Self-Righteous are Confronted

06/20/10 AM Mark 6:45-56 Nature Submits to Christ

06/13/10 AM Mark 6:30-44 The Hungry are Fed

06/06/10 AM Mark 6:14-29 His Servant is Murdered

05/30/10 AM Mark 6:1-13 Yet Christ is Rejected

05/23/10 AM Mark 5:35-43 The Dead are Raised

05/16/10 AM Mark 5:21-34 The Sick are Healed

05/09/10 AM Mark 5:1-20 The Day the Price of Pork Went up

05/02/10 AM Mark 4:35-41 The Sea is Calmed

04/25/10 AM Mark 4:21-34 The Word is Preached

04/18/10 AM Mark 4:1-20 Parable of the Soils

04/11/10 AM Mark 3:7-35 Radical Ministry

04/04/10 AM 1 Corinthians 15:17-19 The Significance of the Resurrection

03/28/10 AM Mark 3:1-6 Crushing a Religious System

03/21/10 AM Mark 2:23-28 Authority in Teaching

03/14/10 AM Mark 2:18-22 Redeeming the Time

03/07/10 AM Mark 2:13-17 The Scandal of an Innocent Dinner

02/28/10 AM Mark 2:1-12 Authority to Forgive Sins

02/21/10 AM Mark 1:40-45 Authority over Uncleanness

02/14/10 AM Mark 1:35-39 Jesus’ Method for Changing Lives

02/07/10 AM Mark 1:29-34 Authority over Sickness

01/31/10 AM Mark 1:21-28 Authority over Evil Spirits

01/24/10 AM Mark 1:14-20 A Basic Message and a Powerful Call

01/17/10 AM Mark 1:2-13 Roll Out the Red Carpet

01/10/10 AM Mark 1:1 Introduction to Mark

01/03/10 AM 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 Primacy of the Church

12/27/09 AM 2 Timothy 3:14-17 2010 Discovery

12/20/09 AM Matthew 1:18-25 Anticipation of a Baby and Bride

12/13/09 AM Joshua 24:14-28 Proper Response to God’s Works

12/06/09 AM Joshua 24:1-13, 29-33 History in a Nutshell

11/29/09 AM Romans 8:28 What God Calls Good (D Smith)

11/22/09 AM Joshua 23 Don’t Forget to Remember

11/15/09 AM Joshua 22 Commitment to Service

11/08/09 AM Rom 10:14-15 Only Hope for Sinful Culture (P Johnson)

11/01/09 AM Joshua 12-21 Receiving the Promise

10/25/09 AM Joshua 11 God’s Power Over Armies

10/18/09 AM John 11:1-45 From Hostility and Grief to Joy and Belief

10/11/09 AM Joshua 10 God’s Power over Creation

10/04/09 AM Joshua 9 The Danger of Complacency

09/27/09 AM Joshua 8 Victory in the Hiding

09/20/09 AM Joshua 7:16-26 The High Cost of Low Choices

09/13/09 AM Joshua 7:1-15 Hidden Treasure or Deceptive Pleasure?

09/06/09 AM Joshua 6 The Walls Came Tumblin’ Down

08/30/09 AM Joshua 5 Consecration before Blessing

08/23/09 AM Joshua 4 Moving Forward by Looking Back

08/16/09 AM 2 Thes 3:1-3 God’s Power through Prayer (A Perez)

08/09/09 AM Joshua 3 Across a River without a Bridge

08/02/09 AM Joshua 2:15-24 Promise of Deliverance

07/26/09 AM Joshua 2:1-14 When Lying Seems to Work

07/19/09 AM Joshua 1:10-18 Resolved to Conquer

07/12/09 AM Joshua 1:1-9 Success God’s Way

07/05/09 AM Joshua Summary God’s blessing through obedience

06/07/09 AM Deuteronomy 8:1-10 God’s demand for obedience

01/25/09 AM Matthew 18:21-35 The Fogiven will Forgive

Date Passage Title

07/04/10 PM Nahum 1 The Pledge of God’s Wrath

06/27/10 PM Micah 6-7 God, the Justifier

06/20/10 PM Micah 3-5 God, the Just

06/13/10 PM Micah 1-2 God, the Judge

06/06/10 PM Hosea 11:12-14:9 The Sentence is Given

05/30/10 PM Hosea 9:1-11:11 The Verdict is Read

05/23/10 PM James 1 Temptation (Pastor Joey McNally)

05/16/10 PM Hosea 5-8 The Prosecutor Makes His Case

05/09/10 PM Hosea 3-4 Opening Testimony

05/02/10 PM Hosea 1-2 Opening Statement by the Prosecution

04/25/10 PM Amos 7-9 God’s Wrath on the Unfaithful

04/11/10 PM Amos 3-6 Prepare to Meet your God

04/04/10 PM Amos 2:4-16 God’s Judgment on His Chosen Ones

03/28/10 PM Amos 1:1-2:3 God’s Judgment on Gentile Nations

03/21/10 PM Jonah 4 Rebuked by God

03/14/10 PM Jonah 3 Sent by God

03/07/10 PM Jonah 2 Rescued by God

02/28/10 PM Jonah 1 The Ironies of Jonah’s Flight from God

02/21/10 PM Joel 3 Vindication of God’s Chosen Ones

02/14/10 PM Joel 2 Foreshadow of Final Judgment

02/07/10 PM Joel 1 God’s Judgment through Catastrophe

01/31/10 PM Obadiah God Opposes the Proud

01/24/10 PM Deuteronomy 18:14-22 Introduction to Minor Prophets

01/17/10 PM 1 Chronicles 15 Obedience Trumps Passion

01/10/10 PM 2 Timothy 4:1-5 Primacy of Preaching

01/03/10 PM 1 Corinthians 9 Primacy of the Gospel

12/27/09 PM Psalm 119:97-104 Honey for the Soul

12/20/09 PM Matthew 2:1-12 Reverence for the King

12/13/09 PM 1 John 5:18-21 Final Spiritual Pulse Check

12/06/09 PM 1 John 5:13-17 Confidence in Prayer

11/29/09 PM Eccl 7:15-18 Life: Contrary to Expectations (Winnberg)

11/22/09 PM 1 John 5:5-12 Test of Faith

11/15/09 PM 1 John 5:1-4 True Love Obeys God

11/08/09 PM Panel Discussion with Pearson Johnson and Dan Cuthbertson

11/07/09 PM Rom 1:16-17 Our Confidence in Dark Places (P Johnson)

11/01/09 PM 1 John 4:7-21 True Love is in the Genes

10/25/09 PM 1 Thes 5:12-13 God’s Will for the Church (D Doran)

10/11/09 PM 1 John 4:1-6 Discernment 101

10/04/09 PM 1 John 3:14-24 External Love is Internal Assurance

09/27/09 PM 1 John 3:11-13 The Love that the World Hates

09/20/09 PM 1 John 3:4-10 Warning Against Sinfulness

09/13/09 PM 1 John 2:28-3:3 The Beauty of Abiding in Christ

09/06/09 PM 1 John 2:18-27 The Subtle Attack of the Enemy

08/30/09 PM 1 John 2:12-17 The Love that God Hates

08/23/09 PM 1 John 2:7-11 The Love that God Loves

08/16/09 PM 1 John 2:3-6 Litmus Test for Discipleship

08/09/09 PM 1 John 2:1-2 A Right Standing before God

08/02/09 PM VBS Closing Exercise God’s Desire for your Life

07/26/09 PM 1 John 1:5-10 The Proof of Salvation

07/19/09 PM Acts 6:1-7 Centrality of the Word of God

07/12/09 PM 1 John 1:1-4 The Joy of Knowing Christ

07/05/09 PM 1 John Summary Checking your Spiritual Pulse

06/07/09 PM Matthew 20:1-16 Grace is not fair!

01/25/09 PM Judges 7 Step Aside and Let God be Glorified

VBS 2010: Egypt File

Pastor Elwart — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:46:59 +0000

Come with us as we decode the mystery of life!

You won’t want to miss one spyglass of a second as we discover what God has for us at the Egypt File.

At this year’s Vacation Bible School, we will enjoy an exciting adventure as we unearth the God’s Word through songs, crafts, games, food and drama.

It promises to be a great discovery, so please join us:

Mon, July 26 – Fri, July 30 from 7 – 9 PM

Children from toddlers through 6th grade are welcome.

Registration begins at 6:30 PM. The adventure is provided for you at no cost.

If you have any questions, please contact us

Spiritual Success 2010 (July – Sep)

Pastor Elwart — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 02:25:58 +0000

Audio

Spiritual Success 2010 (Apr – Jun)

Pastor Elwart — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:27:40 +0000

Audio

Spiritual Success 2010 (Jan – Mar)

Pastor Elwart — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 15:44:22 +0000

Audio

A Biblical Model for Giving

Pastor Elwart — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:30:39 +0000

In order to give in a way that pleases God, we need to turn our attention to the Scriptures to find out what God-honoring giving looks like.

Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, ²that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. ³For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, ⁴begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, ⁵and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. ⁶So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well. ⁷But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also. ⁸I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also. ⁹For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

- 2 Corinthians 8:1-9

Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; ⁹as it is written, “HE SCATTERED ABROAD, HE GAVE TO THE POOR, HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENDURES FOREVER.” ¹⁰Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; ¹¹you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. ¹²For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. ¹³Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, ¹⁴while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

- 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Giving that honors God is motivated by God’s grace, 8:1, 9; 9:13
The proper response to grace received should be grace given to others. Paul begins this passage in chapter 8, talking about the grace of God that motivated the Corinthians’ selfless giving. It is the general pattern in Scripture to respond to God’s work with the same kind of work back to God and others. Paul tells us in Romans 12:1 that those who give their lives as a living sacrifice are those who recognize the mercies of God (specifically, that Christ gave Himself as a living sacrifice, Rom 5:8). God says in 1 Peter 1:16 to “Be holy, for I am holy.” Jesus says in Luke 6:36, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” So in this passage, we could say, “Give, since God has given to you.”
Giving that honors God is sacrificial, 8:2, 3; 9:13
Despite the Corinthians being in a “great ordeal of affliction” (v. 2), they overflowed in liberality. Biblical giving is not done only when times are good. Giving that honors God takes place no matter how difficult the circumstances (even in spite of their “deep poverty”). This is also evident in verse 3, where it says that they gave “beyond their ability.” It’s easy to give God the leftovers, or something that is worthless to us, but that is not what God wants. He wants us to give as a “confession” that we believe in the gospel (9:13). When David needed to buy some land so that he could build an altar, Araunah offered to give the land to David, but David’s response should match the reflection of our heart when it comes to giving to God, “No…I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing” (2 Sam 24:24).
Giving that honors God is joyful, 8:2, 8, 9:7
Paul says that they did it out of an “abundance of joy” (8:2). God expects that we do it out of heart that is “cheerful” (9:7)…a heart that reflects the grace that we’ve received.
Giving that honors God is proportionate, 8:3; 9:7
The Corinthians gave “according to their ability.” We ought to give to God according to what He has given to us. In order to determine the amount, we should consider the following: 1) What is my annual income? 2) What are my annual expenses? 3) Is there any indication that my income will increase or decrease? 4) Am I wasting any of the resources that God has given to me? After asking ourselves these questions, we should do just as we have purposed in our heart (9:7).
Giving that honors God is voluntary and planned, 8:3, 4; 9:7
Paul says that they “gave of their own accord” and they did it as they had purposed in their heart. God does not want us to give “grudgingly or under compulsion.” That is because giving is a privilege. It is an expression of our love for God. We recognize that God is the One who has given to us everything that we have, and so we give out of love, not compulsion. In 8:4, Paul says that they were “begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints.” The Corinthians’ desire to give was completely voluntary, and ours should be as well.
Giving that honors God is an act of worship, 8:5
In 8:5 we find that they “first gave themselves to the Lord.” We will never give as much as we should until we first give ourselves completely to the Lord. If we live a life that is not marked by faith and obedience to God, we should not expect ourselves at any time to be willing to give of our resources. That is because giving is ultimately an act of worship to God. When we give, we are saying, “God, I gladly give this to you as a small token of my affection for what you have given to me.”
Giving that honors God is rewarding, 9:8-15
Giving is rewarding for both the giver and the receiver. 1) Rewarding for the giver. “God is able to make all grace abound to you…so that you may have an abundance for every good deed.” God gives back to those who give, so that they can continually give of themselves to others. Giving is also 2) rewarding for the receiver. The gifts from the Corinthians “produced thanksgiving to God.” Why? Because it fully supplied the needs of the saints, which overflowed with many thanksgiving to God (vv. 11-12).

These last two verses (9:11-12) teach us why giving is God honoring. When we give of our resources to advance the work of God, He uses our gifts to supply for the needs of others, who in turn respond with honor to God. And giving that comes from a sacrificial, joyful heart honors God because it shows Him that we gladly recognize the grace that He has given to us. It is a confession of our belief in the gospel. Let’s give so that God is honored in it!

Spiritual Success (Completed Classes)

Pastor Elwart — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:37:33 +0000

Audio

Spiritual Success Schedule

Pastor Elwart — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:41:24 +0000

Spiritual Success for Adults

Pastor Elwart — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 19:38:54 +0000

In Joshua 1:9, God promises to His people, “You will have success” if you keep My Word (click here for a sermon on this passage). Are you looking for success in life? What is success to you? Is it a high-paying job? Is it popularity among your peers? Is it a clean bill of health?

Many people think that God’s promise of success is a guarantee of health and prosperity. But Paul is a good example of a faithful man of God who did not receive health and prosperity (from an earthly perspective). Paul says in 1 Cor 12:23-27, I was imprisoned, ”beaten times without number, often in danger of death. ²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. ²⁶ I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; ²⁷ I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.”

That doesn’t sound like success at all. But Paul, much like Jesus Christ, did not live a cozy, comfortable, or even popular life. Jesus and Paul received scorn, reproach, beatings, and all sorts of other dangers. And yet the Scriptures tell us that no one has lived a more successful life in the eyes of God than Jesus Christ. He did what He came to do. He came to die for sinners.

So when we think of success from God’s perspective we should think of doing what God desires for us (in other words, the will of the Father). Jesus repeated that phrase, “the will of the Father,” several times while He was here on the earth. In John 6:38, He says, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (see also John 4:34). God’s goal for us is the same goal that He had for Christ: that we do what He desires. So it makes sense that spiritual success is simply doing God’s will. When God promises success, He promises grace for us to do what He desires. That is true spiritual success.

With that in mind, our plan during the Sunday School hour is to instruct believers regarding the whole counsel of God, so that they are equipped to do the work of the ministry (Eph 4:11-12). This purposeful discipleship process will take about 5 years to complete, and it is broken down into 5 major categories.

The first category that we will study is called “The Fundamentals of Christianity.” We will be working through topics like Membership, Evangelism basics, Life as a believer, and making wise choices.

The second category is called, “Biblical Overview,” where we will learn how to study the Bible and also look at each book of the Bible from a bird’s eye view.

The third category is called, “Correlating God’s Truth,” where we will systematically study through the doctrines of Scripture as well as the history of the local church.

The fourth category is called, “Christian Life,” where we will get a better understanding of how to be a godly parent, how to be develop spiritual disciplines, and how to live within the body of Christ, among other topics.

The last category is called, “Christian Growth,” where we discuss topics like Missions, Spreading the Gospel, and Defending the Faith.

Click here for a current schedule

Click here for completed lessons

Click here for a full schedule

We hope that you will join us as we do our part to cultivate growth in godliness.

Adult Prayer & Bible Study

Pastor Elwart — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:48:31 +0000

Acts 2:42 says that “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” As a body of believers in Jesus Christ, we make it our goal to honor God by praising Him, bringing our requests to Him in prayer, and by devoting ourselves to the teaching of the Scriptures.

Our service on Wednesday evening begins at 7:00 with praise to God, followed by a Bible study led by our pastor. The remainder of the time we spend praying together in groups.

For Wednesday night, we are currently studying the book of Proverbs. Solomon wrote most of the book. His purpose was to encourage others to pursue wisdom in all things, for by wisdom, a person can understand the ways of the Lord, and avoid evil. Proverbs is a practical book full of profound wisdom. We pray that the Lord will grant us wisdom so that we can please Him in every way, and so that we can see and avoid the dangers that lie ahead.

Sermons by Date (RSS Test)

Date Passage Title

Date Passage Title

VBS 2010: Egypt File

Spiritual Success 2010 (July – Sep)

Spiritual Success 2010 (Apr – Jun)

Spiritual Success 2010 (Jan – Mar)

A Biblical Model for Giving

Spiritual Success (Completed Classes)

Spiritual Success Schedule

Spiritual Success for Adults

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Adult Prayer & Bible Study

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