Hill Country Bible Church Dripping Springs Sermons

Sometimes overlooked, the story of the birth of John the Baptist is an important part in the Christmas story. Zechariah's disbelief of Gabriel's prophecy was overcome at the birth of his son. John the Baptist. In his praise that ensued, Zechariah expresses the reason for our salvation; to serve the Lord forever.

Wise men from foreign lands east of Israel are drawn to Jerusalem to worship the newborn King of the Jews when His star appears signaling His birth. Yet chief priests and scribes, who knew about the prophecies of the Messiah, do not respond. They know about Him but choose not to get to know Him. Foreigners acting by faith show us that He is the promised King for all nations.

In Matthew's opening sentence, he presents Jesus the Annointed One (Christ) who fulfills the covenants God made with Abraham and David. This would have resonated with any Jewish person familar with their Scripture.

For generations, people have tried to link events to the imminent return of Jesus. The recent, violent attack by Hamas in Israel spawned another round of speculation. Yet, Paul (and Jesus) teach that is futile to try to predict His return. We do know that once He does return, His disciples will be with Him forever.  

Sharing the Gospel is grounded in historical truths presented in Scripture. The invitation is to acknowledge Jesus as King and live in obedient faithfulness as His disciple. That makes Jesus central to the Gospel message, not the benefits we derive as Kingdom citizens.

In the end, God will create a new cosmos (heaven and earth). Scripture teaches that the final destination for redeemed humanity is this new earth where God resides with us. Loyalty to Jesus is the qualification for citizenship in this kingdom.

Good feelings are not a characteristic of saving faith. Instead it is our good works, done in obedience to King Jesus, that are indicative of saving faith enacted.

We accept the facts of the Gospel to be able to publicly confess loyalty to Jesus as King. That loyalty is then demonstrated by a genuine and obedient faithfulness to Him. Jesus showed us perfect obedient faithfulness by going to the cross. We have His example as we pray to have the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us to live out the same obedient faithfulness.

There are instances when the English translation in Scripture does not capture the concept that was originally communicated in Greek. The description of faith (pistis) is one of those such instance. Faith is not a blind, optimistic feeling that we act on. Instead, saving faith (pistis in the Greek) is an affirmation of acting in obedience to Jesus because we know He is King.

Jesus is King; that is the Gospel. As King, He brings benefits, like salvation, that are exclusive to His people. He also brings benefits, through His people, to all humankind. Finally, He brings cosmic benefits for eternity that come from His restoration of creation.  

Last week, we saw in Acts 2 that Peter’s declaration of the Good News (Gospel) was emphatic; Jesus is King and Lord. Our personal salvation and redemption are grounded in that foundational truth. In looking at the purpose for which we were created, to rule creation, (Genesis 2) we see that Gospel tells us we have a King who shows us how to rule, sinlessly, by serving and safe-guarding creation. In...

Recognizing our dependence on God, in every aspect of our lives, requires humility. We can go to Jesus, who has all authority in heaven and earth, because He said He came to serve. Rather than acting as if we can do things independent of His help, we call on Him to serve us. Then we follow His example and seek to serve others.

Being centered on righteousness is the overarching theme of the Sermon on the Mount. In this passage, about halfway through the sermon, Jesus teaches that the Father’s love for us reminds us that our basic needs will be met. We focus on seeking His kingdom. We do that by following His commands, the first being “do not be anxious”.

We may declare that "Jesus is Lord", yet we are tempted to hold onto things that keep us from giving Him our full allegiance. We must learn to be ready to relinquish anything that keeps us from committing fully to Him. He calls us to do that because He loves us.

There are many reasons to seek God; salvation, confession of sin, healing are just a few. The reality is that we all need to seek God. Our sense of urgency and desparation is directly proportional to our view of our own inadequacy. You should seek Him in whatever way He is leading you.

If we believe there is "right" and "wrong", then we must accept the need for a standard greater than indiviuduals' views or opinions. As disciples of Jesus, we first acknowledge God as the Creator who has a purpose for His people, We fulfill that purpose when we recognize we cannot keep his commandments and accept salvation through Jesus. We love because He first loved us.

Our culture does not place value on age, we marginalize it. We fear aging because we fear death. Yet, the life of a disciple of Jesus is a call to find joy, even in the face of death. In this passage, the Preacher encourages us, especially the young, to find joy in life because that is what God commands us to do.

Often it seems that we do the right things but never observe any difference for the Kingdom of God. Solomon shows us that we must act even when we do not know how God is using us. More times than not, that is the case. Abundantly sharing our time, talents, gifts and treasures is an exercise in faith, acting with courage through Christ. 

Even a little foolishness compromises wisdom. That is why we must guard against its polluting effects. Instead, we persist in pursuing wisdom, valuing it above and beyond material trappings.