Hill Country Bible Church Dripping Springs Sermons

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.

Solomon continues to use the certainty of death to inspire a realistic view of life. Life activities, approved by God, should be viewed as gifts from the Giver for our enjoyment. Furthermore, as Christians, we can begin to appreciate their value, in the here and now and as a foretaste of heaven.  

The make-up of God's Kingdom is counterintuitive; meek, humble, and repentent are just a few descriptions of those that enter. The authority is ultimately God's; He makes and keeps all the rules. it is to His glory. Our observed experience with human authority is different. it is corruptible. We judge it's efficacy based on how it serves us. In the end, we trust in His eternal plan, not what we ob...

Most decisions we face do not neatly reduce to black or white responses. (The ones that do should be obvious.) Instead, we need to choose between bad, good, better, or best. We can have Biblical wisdom that is gained two ways; knowing God’s word and our life experiences. Then we can apply that wisdom to consider our response.

Sinfulness causes our hearts to gravitate toward discontent. We assume that having just a little more will satisfy us. It never does. Finding meaning in life is not done through the constant pursuit of more material things. Instead, we can enjoy life with a heart, given over to Jesus, that is content with what we have.

We must accept our limits and boundaries as created beings. Once we do that, we can enjoy life as a gift from God, not something we master for our personal satisfaction. This includes the way we approach worshiping the Lord.

People recognize that the meaning of life comes from something other than having better jobs, houses, vacations, and such. We want better but better at what? Solomon shows us that compassion, contentment, community, and wisdom are the things that are better than their alternatives. We embrace life for what it is, not what we want it to be.

Solomon continues with the theme that, as temporal beings, time exerts tension in our lives. However, he moves from the finality of live at death to contrast a series of pleasant and distressing times or seasons. We desire to avoid times that are distressing. Rather than trying to control them, Solomon encourages us to experience joy by submitting to God's sovereignty instead.

Solomon’s records his attempts to find significance. They are no different than the things we pursue.  Even at the pinnacle of his earthly success, none of it satisfied. Yet, he begins to give us a glimpse of the way to find enjoyment. Rather than striving for gain, we enjoy life for what it is, a gift from God.  

We can grow frustrated with the apparent smallness of our lives. We assume fulfillment lies outside of our circumstances, pursue it, and then grow frustrated all over again. Solomon makes this point saying, everything “under the sun” is futile. Yet, right next to it, he adds a second theme; we can be called to joy by something deeper than the things around us. We just need to accept our limits.

Is everything futile, meaningless or vanity? Solomon opens Ecclesiastes with this attention-grabbing claim (v.2). Throughout the book he builds on this point, declaring the reality of living in a fallen world. However, the book is not about despair. It shows us how to have contentment and satisfaction despite the brokenness of our world. By living in grace, as disciples of Jesus, it challenges us...