Raintree Community Church

Text: Titus 1:1-4   A Purposeful Identity (Titus 1:1) Paul identifies himself as a servant of God who was sent by God . Paul's mission was to connect truth and godliness for Christ-followers in Crete. By God's grace, we are servants who have been called and sent out for the Gospel's sake.   An Eternal Hope (Titus 1:2-3) Paul grounds our eternal security in the eternal promises of God that are insc...

Dr. Thor Madsen preaches to us from John 10:1-42. He is the Dean of Doctoral Studies and Academic Initiatives as well as a Professor of New Testament, Ethics & Philosophy at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

The Author of Titus The human author of this book is the Apostle Paul, who also penned 13 letters of the New Testament. Paul was redeemed by God's grace and became a missionary for the Gospel's sake.   The Audience of Titus Paul wrote the book to a pastor named Titus, whom he left to establish churches on the island of Crete. It was most likely written between A.D. 62-64, just before his eventual...

Text: Mark 16   The Trustworthy Foundation of God's Word (2 Peter 1:16-21; 2 Tim. 3:16-17) The Bible is inspired by God and authoritative for our faith and practice. The Bible has been preserved by God through the centuries with over 25,000 copies of the original manuscripts in existence.   The Purposeful Conclusion to Mark's Gospel (Mark 16:8) The end of Mark's Gospel corresponds to the arrangeme...

Missionary Jim Shoberg preaches to us from Acts 13:1-4. He challenged us to see the ministry of the Holy Spirit sets us apart by working through the local church to equip, enlist, and send out Gospel proclaimers. We need to move from being resigned to this calling to accepting and embracing it fully.

Text:  Mark 16:1-8   An Amazing Devotion (Mark 16:1-4) These women displayed a courageous love for Christ as they went to the tomb. These women were the primary witnesses in Scripture to the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.   An Astounding Message (Mark 16:5-7) The angel proclaimed the glorious news of Christ's triumph over death. The angel compelled the women to proclaim the good news of t...

Text: Mark 15:33-47   Wrath Absorbed (Mark 15:33-37) Jesus drank the cup of God's wrath on our behalf, fully satisfying divine justice. After suffering in our place, Jesus died in our place. Gospel Implication: Jesus absorbed the fury of God's wrath and entered God-forsaken darkness so that sinners would be accepted by God through faith and repentance.   Access Granted (Mark 15:38) The temple curt...

Text:  Mark 15:16-32   The Shame He Endured for Sinners (Mark 15:16-20)   Jesus endured the mockery of the soldiers, the crowd, and the religious leaders. Jesus' prediction in Mark 10:33-34 came to pass and fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 50:6. Gospel Implication: Jesus bore the shame that we deserved as sinners (Hebrews 13:12-13).   The Suffering He Experienced for Sinners (Mark 15:21-27) Jesus...

Text:  Mark 15:1-15   The Question of Authority and Kingdom (Mark 15:1-5)        Jesus affirms His kingship. Jesus explains His otherworldly Kingdom (John 18:33-38). Gospel Implication: Pilate is amazed by Jesus' presence, but will not give allegiance to Jesus' authority.   The Exchange of Jesus and Barabbas (Mark 15:6-11) During the Feast of Passover, it was typical for the Romans to grant a pris...

Text: Mark 14:66-72   A Scene of Distant Following (Mark 14:54,66) Peter cautiously follows Jesus at a distance, trying to make sense of what was unfolding. Peter's previous statements of loyalty would soon be tested.   A Sequence of Defensive Denials (Mark 14:67-71) Peter's loyalty is placed on trial with three different encounters. At each encounter, Peter chose self-preservation over being iden...

Text:  Mark 14:53-65   A Secret Trial of Conspiracy (Mark 14:53-60)  The trial was shrouded in deception and injustice at every level. The religious leaders assembled the evidence from false witnesses to get their intended verdict. Jesus' intentional silence during the trial fulfills prophecy (Isaiah 53:7)   A Startling Revelation of Lordship (Mark 14:61-62) Jesus breaks His silence to answer the...

Text:  Mark 14:43-52   The Covert Corruption of the Crowd (Mark 14:43)   Jesus is met by a crowd of over 600 under the cover of secrecy and darkness to take Him by force illegally. The crowd consisted of Judas, chief priests, scribes, elders, and soldiers.   The Unmasked Treachery of Judas (Mark 14:44-46) Jesus unmasks Judas for the hypocrite and betrayer that he was in his heart. Judas betrays Je...

Text:  Mark 14:32-42   The Sorrowing Savior (Mark 14:32-34) Jesus entered Gethsemane with His disciples in watchful prayer. Jesus continued in Gethsemane under pressing anguish and distress. Jesus enters our sorrow as our ultimate High priest (Hebrews 4:15; 5:7-10)     The Submissive Savior (Mark 14:35-36) Jesus displays His perfect humanity in Gethsemane. Jesus prays for the cup of God's wrath to...

Text:  Mark 14:26-31     The Prophetic Words of Jesus (Mark 14:26-28) Jesus predicts the failure of each disciple. Jesus promises to be faithful to His mission and to His disciples.     The Protesting Words of Peter (Mark 14:29-31) Peter challenged Jesus' words and pledged his undying devotion. Peter underestimated his enemy and refused to admit his own weakness.     Heart Application Know that yo...

Text: Haggai 1:1-15   Haggai's Proclamation (1:1-11) Date (1:1) Introduction to God's Condemnation (1:2-4) Consider Your Ways (1:5-11) The People's Response (1:12-15) Obedience (1:12) Encouragement (1:13) Divine Motivation (1:14) Date (1:15)

Mark 14:12-25     Jesus' Sovereign Preparation (Mark 14:12-16) J esus meticulously arranged every detail of this event for His disciples. Jesus is portraying Himself to be the final Passover lamb for our sins.     Jesus' Serious Revelation (Mark 14:17-21) Jesus announces His betrayal will come from within. The disciples anxiously question one another. Jesus confirms His betrayer will come to ruin....

Text: Mark 14:1-11   A Radical Devotion to Destroying Jesus (Mark 14:1-2) The covert conspiracy against Jesus The connection between the Passover and Jesus   A Radical Devotion to Worshipping Jesus (Mark 14:3) An extravagant gift of Christ-centered worship This gift corresponded to the infinite worth of Jesus   A Radical Devotion to Loving Money (Mark 14:4-11) A critical assessment of worth A crim...

Text: Mark 13:24-37   The Sign of Christ's Return (Mark 13:24-27) Jesus describes His coming for the elect with scenes of unprecedented tribulation but also unparalleled power and glory.   The Time of Christ's Return (Mark 13:28-32) Jesus refers to the fig tree lesson to illustrate the season of His coming. Jesus emphasizes the credibility and eternality of His Words.   The Preparation for Christ'...

Text: Mark 13:14-23   The Warning of Future Desolation (Mark 13:14-20)   Believers: Be watchful, urgent, and hopeful in God's sovereign plan over all things. Unbelievers: Look to God for salvation from your sin before it's too late!   The Warning of False Messiahs (Mark 13:21-23) Be on guard against false messiahs who will seek to deceive and delude with their teaching.

Text:  John 1:10-18     The Salvation of Jesus Proclaimed (John 1:10-13) The purpose of Jesus' coming was to bring salvation and form a new family. Christ came to open the eyes of the spiritually blind.   The Glory of Jesus Revealed (John 1:14-18) Jesus came to dwell among us in order to reveal the glory of God's grace and truth to us.

Text: John 1:1-9   The Identity of Jesus Unveiled (John 1:1-5) Jesus is God's living, active, and final Word in demonstrating who He is in both creating us and saving us. Jesus is the true Light coming into the world, piercing the darkness. The Witness of Jesus Portrayed (John 1:6-9) Like hundreds of links in a chain, John the Baptist was one of many whose purpose was to point people to Jesus and...

Text: Matthew 2:1-12 The Wise Men Desired to Seek and Worship the Messiah While we do not know much about the wise men's identity, we do know about their intention to know and adore Christ. The journey and gifts of the wise men convey theological and prophetic significance (Psalm 72:10-11; Isaiah 60:3-6).   Herod the King Desired to Seek and Destroy the Messiah Herod's response to Christ's appeara...

Text:  Matthew 1:18-25     The Miracle of Jesus' Birth (Matthew 1:18) The nature of the incarnation: Jesus is fully God and fully man. This is central to the Christian faith!   The Crisis of Jesus' Birth (Matthew 1:19-20) Mary's pregnancy proved to be a test of Joseph's faith.   The Purpose of Jesus' Birth (Matthew 1:21-23) Jesus' name declared His mission: "For He will save His people from their...

Text:  Matthew 1:1-17   Jesus' Lineage Covers God's Promises to Abraham and David (Matthew 1:1) God's promise to Abraham: "In you, all the families of the earth will be blessed." (Gen. 12:1-3) God's promise to David: "Your throne will be established forever." (2 Sam 7:8-16) This genealogy underscores the faithfulness of God to keep His promise to send a Savior.   Jesus' Lineage Contains a Cast of...

Text: Mark 13:1-13   Be Prepared for the Certainty of God's Judgment (Mark 13:1-2)      Jesus predicts the fall of Jerusalem, which would take place in 70 A.D. Jesus specifically mentions the destruction of the temple as the judgment of God.   Be Discerning and Hopeful During Difficult Circumstances (Mark 13:3-8) Jesus calls us to take note of the false messiahs and their claims Jesus calls us to...