Maranatha Baptist Church Sermon Podcast

Do you have places you love and desire to return to? The writer of Psalm 84 certainly did. Potentially from a foreign land but certainly amid personal difficulty, the psalmist yearns to return to God’s dwelling place - the Temple of Jerusalem. Like Psalm 84, we can feel distant from God’s presence. As we encounter trials, we must cultivate a similar desire to seek God’s strength and protection.

“911, what is your emergency?” Maybe you have had to call for help before and been helped by a stranger when trouble entered your life. We often don’t accept help from others in our desire to be self-sufficient, but emergencies quickly reveal our need for help. The truth is that we all need help. We all recognize our need to seek the LORD for help in times of trouble.

Psalm 82 reminds those in authority that God is the righteous judge. He holds all judges accountable. This gives us hope even through times of injustice. It also reminds us that we all will answer to Him - we all must bow to the righteous Judge of the universe.

When we find ourselves in trouble, we tend to look for help in all the wrong places. Even if we do look for God's help, we have our own imaginations about how He should help. Psalm 81 reminds us that while God is ready and able to do the "spectacular" for us, we actually get back on track simply by listening to His Word. God has spoken, and His instructions are the key to everything in this life.

We often find security and stability in all sorts of things without realizing it. But what happens when those things fail? In Psalm 80, Asaph laments the fall of the northern tribes to Assyria. As the nation falls apart, Asaph rightly turns to the Lord for salvation. He asks for God's face to shine on them. It's a poetic request for God's grace and favor to fall upon them and save them.

While sin causes destruction, it feels so much worse when it's the result of our own sin. We hurt others, ourselves, and Christ’s reputation. Psalm 79 laments Jerusalem’s destruction, the death of God's people, and the reproach of God's name. But the Psalmist is honest that they are at fault. Psalm 79 gives us direction in our own despair and the words to cry out to God for mercy and forgiveness.

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In Acts 11, those who followed Jesus’ teachings were first called Christians. Have you ever thought about why those who follow Jesus are called Christians? The radically transformed lives of those who fully embraced the teachings of Jesus caught the attention of the rest of the world. In Titus 2, we see Titus challenging believers to live in such a way that matches and exalts the word of God.

Download a copy of the class notes here.

Download a copy of the class notes here .

The insecurities of life can leave us feeling tossed and troubled - even hopeless. Listen to learn how we can abound in confidence in our salvation in Christ. 

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On this "Celebration Sunday," as we celebrate God's provision through the gifts of His people, we need to make sure our hearts are focused on Him and not ourselves. In 1 Chronicles 29, after the willing gifts come in for the Temple, King David leads the people to rejoice, give praise to God, and pray for hearts devoted to God. We, too, must use this opportunity to give praise to God.

Download a copy of the class notes here.

download a copy of the class notes here.

Our salvation has given us some glorious blessings. By keeping our eyes on those blessings, we can live with relentless joy through the Christian life. Listen to hear why we should rejoice in the unshakable gifts of salvation.

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We've all received instructions that seem impossible. In the Christian life, God's instructions can feel this way at times. But God's grace always supplies what His love compels. In Exodus 35:4-36:7, we encounter Israel. They are preparing to obey God's detailed commands for His dwelling place - the Tabernacle. It's a bit overwhelming. But God asks for willing hearts and then does the rest.