Doxa Church Sermons

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead Big Idea: Exercise your Spirit-led ability of discernment between truth and error. - A lack of discernment is to the Christian what a lack of an immune system is to the human body-- without it, you’re susceptible to all kinds of spiritual junk: a. Doubt: Did God really say? (Genesis 3:1) b. Distort: you shall not eat of the tree, neither shall you touch it (Genesis 3:3...

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead W.A. Criswell -- “When a man comes to church, what he is saying to you is this, “Preacher, I know what the TV commentator has to say; I hear him every day. I know what the editorial writer has to say; I read it every day. I know what the magazines have to say; I read them every week. Preacher, what I want to know is, does God have anything to say? If God has anything t...

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead Big Idea: God’s kids will be like their spiritual Father. 1. By not continuing in patterns of unbroken sin (vv.4-6) 2. By practicing righteousness (v.7,10) Practicing righteousness:   - It’s not conformity to cultural Christianity- - It’s not conformity to cultural morality These two realities are possible because... 3. Christ destroyed the devil’s works (v.8) 4. God’s...

Preacher: Zak Graves Big Idea: Knowing your identity changes everything! Your Identity Changes: 1. Your Confidence (2:28) 2. Your Habits (2:29) 3. Your Relationships (3:1) a. With God (3:1a) b. With the World (3:1b) 4. Your Destiny (3:2-3) a. We become like Him b. We purify ourselves

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead 1. The profile of the deceiver   a. Denial -- 1 John 4:3  b. Defection c. Deception 2. The protection from deception    a. Abide in the Holy Spirit -- John 16:13  b. Let the Word abide in you

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead Big Idea: Don’t love the world because you can't have it both ways. 1. You can’t love the world and love God (vv.15-16) A few things to understand about the world: a. It’s where we’re born  b. It’s overcome only by God c. It’s unavoidable to deal with the world d. It’s either one or the other:  i. Desires of the flesh ii. Desires of the eyes  iii. Pride of life 2....

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead 1. To the children in the faith… 2. To the fathers in the faith… - Hebrews 5:12-13  3. To the young men in the faith… - Psalm 119:9 

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead Big Idea: Love is the relational evidence of life change in the true Christian. 1. The love test explained (vv.7-8) 1 Thessalonians 4:9 -- "Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another" 2. The love test applied (vv.9-11)

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead The moral diagnostic: 1. Do you obey Jesus? (vv.3-5a) - Assurance coming from 3 places: a. God’s word b. God’s Spirit c. Godliness - What you love you’ll obey. To know God is to love God and to love God is to obey God. - Do you see a hunger for His word? A desire deep in your heart to obey? 2. Do you imitate Jesus? (vv.5b-6) -  Are you in a Small Group?

Preacher: Jeff Donaldson - Power must be used to help bless people - The purpose of power is to empower those without power 1. Love Sacrificially 2. Lead Kindly 3. Live Fairly 5 Ways we abuse our power: - We use people to get what we want - We demean when people don't measure up - We neglect because we're self absorbed - We withhold good when it's due - We threaten when upset

Preacher: Chris Ritter Big Idea: How can I know my sins are forgiven? 3 Evidences: #1. The Outward Evidence: You walk in the light (v.5-7) 2 results of walking in the light: a. We have fellowship with one another b. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin - What is sin? Sin is anything and everything that keeps someone from right relationship with God. 2 "camps" of how people perceiv...

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead Know YOU have eternal life (1 John 5:13)... 1. Believe the eyewitness testimony (vv.1-3a) -An unchanging testimony -An experiential testimony -A declarative testimony 2. Receive the joy of relationship with God (vv.3b-4) Romans 10:9 -- "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved....

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead Eugene Peterson -- “All true prayer becomes praise. Any prayer, no matter how desperate its origin, no matter how angry and fearful the experiences it traverses, ends up in praise. It does not always get there quickly or easily- the trip can take a lifetime- but the end is always praise.” 1. Trust in your trembling (v.16) 2. Resolve to rejoice regardless (vv.17-18) Geo...

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead From a horizontal perspective to a vertical one through prayer. 1. Pray for future grace in light of God’s past grace (vv.1-2) 2. Meditate on who God is and what He’s done (vv.3-16) Tim Keller -- “Meditation is taking God’s truth down into our hearts until it catches fire and begins to melt and shape our reactions to God…It’s thinking a truth out and then thinking a tr...

Preacher: Chris Ritter Today’s goal: Every Christian who has not been baptized as a Christian, sign up to be baptized. 3 views on baptism: #1. The Roman Catholic view: Baptism is necessary for salvation, and the act of baptism causes regeneration (salvation). This is not a Christian view. #2. The Paedo Baptist View: In the Old Covenant, circumcision was the external sign of entrance into God’s cov...

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead 2 Peter 3:9 -- "The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." 1. Woe to the thief-- what you have will be taken Proverbs 22:16 -- "whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to povert...

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead Psalm 40:1 -- "I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry." 1. When you’re confused, choose to wait on God 2. When you’re waiting, choose to… a. Hold on to God’s Word-- Psalm 130:5  b. Trust God’s sovereignty c. Live by faith

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead What do you do when prayer in not answered in the way you expected? 1. Be astounded-- God’s working in ways you wouldn’t believe (v.5) a. God answers our prayers b. God doesn’t rebuke Habakkuk c. He doesn’t dispute the accuracy of what Habakkuk says 2. Be astounded-- God’s working even when you can’t see (vv.6-11) Things we think God does instead of work in our waiting...

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead Job 30:20 -- “I cry to You for help and You do not answer me; I stand, and You only look at me.” Psalm 22:1-2 -- “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.” 3 honest questions we ask when God seems silent… 1. How long will m...

Preacher: Rich Sherman 1. What Are My Worship Wars? - Don’t worship God their way (Dt 7:1-6; 12:4, 31; Lev 18:21; 20:1-5; 2 Kgs 20:6) - Don’t worship God my way (Dt 4:15-20; 8:19; 12:8,13; 29:18-21; Jdg 17:5; 21:25) - Worship God God’s way (Dt 6:4-9; 12:5; 13:1-4; Jn 4:22-24) 2. Am I Worshipping God My Way? - Everybody worships something (Pr 14:12; Lk 4:5-8; Rom 1:18-25) - People naturally worship...

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead 5 reasons you must serve at Harvest... 1. You have a gift 1 Corinthians 12:7 -- to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:11 -- all these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as He wills. Ephesians 4:7 -- But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s g...

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead 4 goals of quality discipleship in small group: 1. Encouraged hearts 2. Unity in love  3. Deepening convictions  4. Growing, grateful walk 

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead Worship Jesus without reservation because... 1. He is incomprehensibly great (v.33) 2. He is infinitely resourceful (vv.34-35) 3. He is incomparably glorious (v.36)

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead We forgive without limit… 1. Because Jesus mandates it (Matt 18: 21-22; Matt 6:14-15) - Forgiveness is the choice to release a person from the debt, separation, or obligation that incurred when they injured you. - You’re either a debt collector or a debt payer. What are you? 2. God’s forgiveness demands it (Matt 18:23-33) 3. The alternative is terrifying (Matt 18:34-35...

Preacher: Scott Hollingshead 1. Embrace love’s priority Love never fails to: a. Conquer selfishness b. Conquer the status quo c. Conquer sentencing judgments 2. Emulate love’s example 3. Escape love’s substitutes 4 reasons love is hard: - Love is inefficient - Love is invasive - Love is insane - Love is expensive 4. Extend love’s impact Conclusion: "Love is the greatest thing-- God the Father...