Raintree Community Church

Text: Psalm 56   Trusting God Through Fear (56:1-4) We can only overcome our fears through faith in God and His Word.   Trusting God Through Affliction (56:5-11) We must trust God alone to do what is good and right for His glory and our good. We must remember how deeply God cares for us and how He will carry us through our trials.   Thanking God For Deliverance (56:12-13)   We can thank God in all...

Text:  Psalm 46   Our Omnipresent God is Strong Through it All (46:1-3) Because God is our strength, we do not need to be given over to fear. Because God is our salvation, we will be kept through eternity.   Our Omnipresent God is Sovereign Over All (46:4-7) God's eternal plan cannot be changed. God's continual presence is our fortress.   Our Omnipresent God is Supreme Above All (46:8-11) God is s...

Text: Psalm 40   The Savior's Work Demonstrated (40:1-4) The testimony of God's deliverance is seen in His rescuing grace The outcome of God's deliverance is seen in heart transformation   The Savior's Character Proclaimed (40:5-11) God's unparalleled faithfulness and unfaltering love deserves unending worship and unswerving devotion to Him.   The Savior's Work Completed (40:12-17) God's saving wo...

Text: Psalm 32   From Sinner to Forgiven (32:1-2) The blessing of forgiveness is extended to sinners who have their sins covered by the Lord. The blessing of imputation is extended to sinners who have their sins covered by the Lord. From Conviction to Confession (32:3-5) In His grace, God convicts us of our sin to lead us to our confession and His forgiveness. From Judgment to Deliverance (32:6-7)...

Text: Psalm 27   A Steady Trust in God Alone (27:1-3) We can have confidence in God's presence as our Light - We can have confidence in God's ability to save. Therefore, we can be confident in the face of fear and doubt. A Single-minded Worship of God Alone (27:4-10) We must desire God above all things (attitude). We must seek God above all things (action). When we belong to God, we find in Him al...

Text: Psalm 13 God's Apparent Absence (13:1-2) David's perspective is that God has abandoned him as he cries out, "How long?" We need to filter our feelings of God's absence through the truth of God's omnipresence. God's Apparent Indifference (13:3-4) David's perspective is that God is not at work for His good. We need to filter our feelings of God's indifference through the truth of God's omnisci...

Text:  Psalm 8   God's Universal Praise Displayed (8:1) The majesty and glory of God's name fills all that He has made. This universal praise is the purpose for which we were created.   God's Strength Declared through Man's Weakness (8:2-4) God has chosen to display His strength toward His enemy through the weakness of man. God, the Preeminent One has chosen to condescend to us and care for us.  ...

Text: 1 Corinthians 1:18-30

Text:  Mark 12:1-12   The Parable Describes Israel's Recorded History in Scripture (12:1-9) The vineyard in this passage refers to Israel. The vineyard owner refers to God. The servants of the vineyard owner refer to the prophets who were sent by God to the people. The vineyard tenants refer to the Israelites who rejected the prophets Consider these passages: Is. 5:1-7; Jer. 7:21-26; Matt. 23:29-3...

Text:  Mark 11:27-33   The Serious Challenge to Christ's Authority (11:27-28) The religious leaders questioned Jesus on His authority over the Temple and His teaching. The religious leaders' aim was to discredit and destroy Jesus.   The Stunning Consequence of Christ's Question (11:29-32) Jesus confounds the religious leaders with a question regarding John's baptism. The religious leaders are no m...

Text:  Mark 11:20-25   Faith in God Demonstrated (11:20-25) Jesus commands us to put our faith in God alone Jesus portrays the powerful results of praying with bold faith. Jesus points to the necessity of forgiving others as we pray in faith.  

Text: Matthew 6:5-15   What should our attitude be in prayer?   As God's children, prayer begins with a focus on God's name, kingdom, and will. As God's children, we recognize God's holiness and desire that He would receive the glory He deserves. As God's children, we desire to see God's kingdom expand and come in its fullness. As God's children, we agree with God's commands and pray that they wou...

Text:  Mark 11:12-19   Fruitlessness Judged (11:12-14) Jesus curses the fig tree for not producing any fruit. The barren fig tree is an illustration of Israel, as they did not show any fruits of repentance and faith .     Faithlessness Exposed (11:15-19) Instead of attacking the Romans, Jesus attacks and exposes the faithless worship of the temple (see Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11). The fig tree...

Text:  Mark 11:1-11   The Savior-King's Providential Plan (11:1-7) The divine fulfillment of Scripture The divine authority of the Messiah   The Savior-King's Dramatic Entrance (11:8-10; Luke 19:39-40) Jesus receives the praise of the people who do not fully grasp His identity. Jesus receives criticism from the Pharisees who are bent on destroying Him (Luke 19:39-40).   The Savior-King's Temple Vi...

The Sinner's Desperate Plea for Mercy (10:46-48) The blind man is undaunted in his pursuit of Jesus and His mercy. The blind man did not need to see Jesus and His miracles of healing to believe that He was the Messiah . The blind man serves as an illustration to us as sinners in need of God's mercy to save us .   The Savior's Deep Display of Mercy (10:49-52) Jesus condescends to the blind man's ne...

Text: Mark 10:32-45   The Cross and the Suffering Savior (10:32-34) Jesus foretells His suffering and death for the third time. Jesus proves that He is the Suffering Servant in Isaiah's prophecy.   The Cross and Self-Centered Ambition (10:35-41) The disciples pursued self-promotion from Jesus. The disciples would eventually suffer for Jesus. Jesus would drain the cup of God's wrath and be baptized...

Text: Mark 10:23-31   The Astonishing Difficulty of Entering the Kingdom (10:23-25) Jesus declares that the kingdom of God is not about human achievement. Jesus proves that it is hard to enter the kingdom of God.   The Amazing Grace of Entering the Kingdom (10:26-27) Jesus declares that entering the kingdom of God comes only through divine access. Jesus proves that salvation is a work of God's gra...

Text: 1 Peter 1:3-9   In Christ, We Possess an Eternal Salvation (1:3) We have been shown great mercy in Christ. We have been born again to a living hope in Christ. We have been given salvation through the work of Christ.     In Christ, We Possess an Eternal Inheritance (1:4-5) Our inheritance in Christ is imperishable. Our inheritance in Christ is undefiled. Our inheritance in Christ is unfading....

Text: Mark 10:17-22   The Question of Eternal Life (10:17-20) Jesus counters the rich young ruler's question by pointing him to a true understanding of God. Jesus proves that the law is not a ladder by which we reach up to God; it is a mirror that shows us our need for God to reach down to save us.   The Place of Eternal Trust (10:21-22) The rich young ruler trusted in his perceived goodness and w...

Matthew 6:25-34   1. The Value of that Lifestyle (Matthew 6:25-30)   2. The View of that Lifestyle (Matthew 6:31-33)   3. The Joy of that Lifestyle (Matthew 6:34)

Text:  Mark 10:13-16   The Disciples' Hindrance Displayed (10:13) The crowd brought their children for Jesus to bless. The disciples rebuked the crowd and hindered them from coming to Jesus.     The Kingdom's Entrance Unveiled (10:14-16) Jesus rebukes the disciples for hindering the children from coming to Him. The entrance to God's kingdom is reserved for the weak, helpless, and lowly who come to...

Mark 10:10-12 & Selected Passages   Jesus' Counter-Cultural Statement on Divorce and Remarriage (Mark 10:10-12; Matthew 19:3-12) The disciples' clarifying questions from their minds Jesus' counter-cultural answer for their hearts   God's Comprehensive Record on Divorce & Remarriage God laid out His plan for His people regarding marriage, divorce, and remarriage (Deuteronomy 24:1-4) God divorced Hi...

Mark 10:1-9     The Challenging Question on Divorce (10:1-4) The Pharisees came to trap Jesus in order to discredit His authority and destroy His popularity.   The Confrontational Answer to Hardened Hearts (10:5) Jesus confronts the Pharisees on their hardness of heart toward God and His Word.   The Creation-Based Teaching on Marriage (10:6-9) Jesus takes us back to creation to teach on the sancti...

Text: Mark 9:42-50   The Corporate Demand of Devotion (9:42) Jesus gives a stern warning about causing others to stumble. Jesus connects loving others to leading others toward righteousness.     The Costly Demand of Holiness (9:43-48) Jesus calls us to deal seriously with our sin through radical amputation. Jesus warns us to deal seriously with our sin in light of the reality of hell.     The Crit...

Text: James 4:7-10   James provides for us six steps to cure worldliness: 1. Submit Yourselves – 4:7 2. Resist the Devil – 4:7 3. Draw Near to God – 4:8 4. Cleanse Hands and Heart – 4:8 5. Repent of Your Sins – 4:9 6. Humble Yourselves – 4:10   You end where you began (v. 7). The paradoxes of the Christian life: last/first; slave/free; die/live; humbled/exalted; the way down is the way up!