The Church at 4Points

1. Life is not forever; death gives perspective to the temporary. 2. Life was never meant to fully satisfy; only Jesus can do that. 3. Life is out of our control; God is the one in complete control. Supplemental Text: Psalm 144:3-4 | Psalm 39:5; 11 | Colossians 3:17 | Ecclesiastes 12:13 | 1 Timothy 6:17 | John 4:13-14 | Matthew 6:33 | Psalm 139:16

Main Points: 1. In Christ, you are a new creation. 2. In Christ, you have been given a new ministry. 3. In Christ, you have been given a new identity. Application: 1. Fight sin personally and collectively. 2. Share the gospel passionately and intentionally. 3. Pursue righteousness persistently and victoriously. Supplemental Text: 1 Corinthians 5:6-7 | Romans 6:2-12 | Colossians 3:1-17 | James 5:16...

Main Points: 1. God is love, and the clearest expression of his sacrificial love is Jesus. 2. As those loved by God, we should sacrificially love one another. Application: 1. You can have hope no matter what you face in life. 2. You can experience lasting peace that is not defined by your situation. 3. You can be joyful even in disappointment, sorrow, and heartbreak. 4. You can know that the love...

Main Points: 1. Joy is rooted, not in the presents from God, but in the presence of God 2. Joy is fueled, not in isolation, but with the people of God 3. Joy is settled, not in shifting circumstances, but in the security of our eternal home with God. Application: 1. Do not compromise on your communion with God 2. Do not neglect fellowship with the people of God 3. Do not forget your secured home w...

Main Points: 1. Peace is found not in the absence of trouble, but in the presence of Jesus. 2. Peace is found not only in the presence of Jesus, but is also given to us in this present life. Application: 1. Receive the peace that Jesus has the authority and ability to give. 2. Remember the peace that Jesus gives has protective power over our hearts and minds. Supplemental Text: Isaiah 9:2-7 | Luke...

Main Points: 1. The gospel of Jesus brings hope to hopeless situations. 2. The gospel of Jesus brings hope to hopeless people. Application: 1. Trust the plan of God not your present circumstances. 2. Trust the power of God not your own strength. Supplemental Text: Matthew 4:12-17 | Psalm 43:5 | Romans 5:2-5 | Romans 15:13 | Titus 2:11-13

Main Points: 1. Until Jesus returns, death is a reality that we will all experience. 2. When Jesus returns, our bodies will be resurrected, reunited with our souls, and glorified. 3. Once Jesus returns, the everlasting life promised to believers will be realized for all eternity. Application: 1. Allow your Earthly focus to not be on what is temporary, but what is eternal. 2. Allow your Earthly hop...

Main Points: 1. Sin is opposition and rebellion against God and it separates us from Him. The penalty of sin is charged to us, the power of sin controls us, and the presence of sin characterizes us. 2. Forgiveness reconciles us to God and is accomplished in Christ and applied by the Spirit. The penalty of sin is remitted, the power of sin is released, and the presence of sin is removed. Applicatio...

Main Points: 1. The church is a holy family. 2. The church is one family. 3. The church is a missional family. Application: 1. We must be committed to the truth. 2. We must be committed to gathering. 3 We must be committed to sanctification. 4. We must be committed to the message. Supplemental Text: Acts 2:41-47 | Hebrews 13:17 | John 13:34-35 | Ephesians 4:4-6 | Hebrews 12:1-2 | 2 Corinthians 5:1...

Main Points: 1. The Holy Spirit is the manifest presence of God. 2. The Holy Spirit is the manifest power of God. 3. The Holy Spirit exposes our need for Christ. 4. The Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ. 5. The Holy Spirit glorifies the person of Christ. 6. The Holy Spirit points us to the message of Christ. 7. The Holy Spirit guarantees our union with Christ. Supplemental Text: John 14:15-17...

Main Points: 1. The ascension of Jesus completes the work of redemption, coronates him as King, and commissions the Holy Spirit. 2. The return of Jesus commences the final act of redemption, confers on him the role of judge, and completes the final defeat of his enemies. Application: 1. Live your life under the authority of the King of Kings. 2. Find your strength in the power of the Holy Spirit....

Main points: 1. The resurrection of Christ accomplished our salvation one 2. The resurrection of Christ accomplished death’s defeat and secured eternal life 3. The resurrection of Christ accomplished our future resurrection Application: 1. Because of Christ’s resurrection, we live resurrection life now 2. Because of Christ’s resurrection, we live with endless hope 3. Because of Christ’s resurrecti...

Main Points: 1. Jesus experienced the reality of suffering. 2. Jesus experienced the reality of death. - First, when people die, their soul and body are separated, with the body remaining, and the soul entering into eternity. - Second, when believers die, they are immediately ushered into the presence of God. - Third, when unbelievers die, they are immediately ushered into eternal punishment. - Fo...

Main Points: 1. The conception and birth of Jesus were supernatural. 2. The conception and birth of Jesus were essential. 3. The conception and birth of Jesus were intentional. Application: 1. God is not limited by our understanding or our present circumstances. 2. God can make the impossible possible. 3. God shows his love for us by initiating the relationship with us. Supplemental Text: Matthew...

Main Points: 1. Jesus is fully man. 2. Jesus is the promised Christ. 3. Jesus is the Son of God. 4. Jesus is Lord of all. Application: 1. Because Jesus is the Christ, you can find complete freedom in him as the Savior of your life. 2. Because Jesus is the Christ, you can put your complete trust in him as the Lord of your life. Supplemental Text: Hebrews 1:3 | Colossians 1:19 | John 3:16 | John 5:3...

Main points: 1. God is Creator and Originator of all things 2. God Created, Designed, and Established all things by the Word of His Power 3. God Sustains all things with Fatherly care Application: 1. God as Creator is worthy of our worship 2. God as Designer is owed our submission to His rule 3. God as Almighty reminds us that He is in complete control over all things. 4. God as Father reminds us...

Main Points: 1. God is One. 2. God is Three Persons. 3. Each Person is Fully God. 4. Each Person has Lived Eternally in Perfect Community. Application: The Trinity is the basis for our enjoyment of God. The Trinity is the basis for our relationship to the Church. The Trinity is the basis for our understanding of the mission. Supplemental Text: Deuteronomy 6:4-5 | Mark 12:28-31 | John 17:24 | John...

Main Points: 1. God's Word is the substance of absolute truth. 2. God's Word is the source for spiritual equipping. 3. God's Word is the safeguard against spiritual deception. Application: 1. Let's lay down our personal feelings and opinions, and yield our beliefs to the absolute truth of God's Word. 2. Let's take seriously the calling to spiritual preparation by personally engaging in spiritual e...

God's forgiveness is the source of true joy and blessing. The path of blessing is confession: from silence to surrender. Joyful obedience to the Lord = protection, guidance, and rejoicing.

Complaint #1: How have you loved us? A proper view of God's sovereign love leads us to a proper understanding that it is unearned and undeserved. Complaint #2: How have we dishonored you? A proper view of the majesty of God will lead to a proper response in our worship of God. Complaint #3: How have we been faithless? A proper view of covenant marriage will lead to a proper view of covenant salvat...

1. Cleansing from sin is only possible through the cleansing fountain of the blood of Jesus. 2. Repentance involves both a turning from sin and a returning to God. 3. God's Spirit can transform us in a way that is impossible by works alone. Supplemental Text: Titus 1:4-7 1 John 1:9 1 Thessalonians 4:3a 1 John 1:6-7 2 Thessalonians 2:13

The people had forgotten their identity as chosen children of God. The task of the people is obedience, but obedience cannot produce salvation. Application 1: Be proactive toward obedience. Application 2: What in your life are you allowing to distract you from the Lord, rather than turn you toward him? Application 3: What are you busying yourself with, rather than building the Lord’s house? Supple...

1. The world's finest and greatest resources cannot defend or save us against the Judgement of the Lord. 2. Pride separates us from God's plan and makes us a tool of the enemy. 3. No justice will go unpunished because God is sovereign over all nations. Application: 1. Repent. 2. Be helpful from God's Word toward others and not against it. 3. Don't be aloof in the day of others' distress. 4. Vengea...

1. The day of the Lord is a day of judgment. 2. We can respond to the Lord with repentance or rejection and He will respond with justification or judgment. Application: Take the Lord seriously Take the Gospel of Jesus Christ seriously Take repentance seriously Take obedience seriously Take your future hope seriously Take evangelism and missions seriously Supplemental Text: Joel 1:15 Amos 5:18-20 J...

1. Know and trust the Lord’s character. 2. Have faith that God’s promises will be fulfilled and His purposes will be carried out. 3. By faith, confidently and freely approach the Father in honest prayer. Supplemental Text: Habakkuk 3:13 Habakkuk 2:14 John 1:14 2 Corinthians 4:6 Romans 1:16-17 Revelation 11:15 James 4:8 1 Peter 5:6-7 Philippians 4:6-7 Matthew 11:28-30 Hebrews 4:14-16 Habakkuk 3:17-...