Union Chapel Sermon Library

4 Pictures of Jesus’ life and ministry: 1. The Baptism of Jesus Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water....

5 Movements in The Story: Creation (Eden, Fall, Flood, Tower of Babel) Israel (Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Judges, Kings, Prophets) Jesus The Church Paradise/Heaven In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the lig...

1. The Bible is the most powerful book. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my Word will never pass away.” Matthew 24:35 2. The Bible is power for your life. The Bible is power for when you’ve been hurt. (Ephesians 4:31-32) The Bible is power for family relationships (Ephesians 6:1-4) The Bible is power over anxiety (Philippians 4:6-7) The Bible is power for your job/school (Colossians 3:23-24)...

Recent headlines and statistics are not encouraging. There are more than 72 Million Millennials in America, almost one-quarter of our population. An increasingly large portion of the Millennials are walking away from a faith of any kind, choosing to identify themselves as religious ‘nones.’ Researchers in 2008 noted that one third of all Millennials describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated....

Jeremiah 1:4-9, 17-19 1. The Task is Too Demanding The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:4-5 2. My Talent is Inadequate “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” Jeremiah 1:6 "Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched m...

Matthew 28:18-20 OUR MISSION: (Why we exist) Know Jesus Grow in relationship with Jesus Go making Jesus known to others OUR VISION: (What we are going to do together) Win the lost Outreach to each unique generation Relevant worship Strategic missions Home groups Impacting the Church Practical ministry 1. The Gospel is to be shared. John 3:16; Mathew 28:18-20 2. Tell someone: Close the deal. Be pre...

II Corinthians 11:24-29 “Faith ought not be a puny thing. If you believe, have faith like a giant. And may God not grant you peace, but glory.” Mary Bethune Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds…Now my soul is troubled,...

John 15:5-17 1. Complete your joy: remain in Jesus Something in us dies when we disconnect from Jesus. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 2. Complete your joy: love like Jesus Jesus invites you to care about what He cares about. Expect His compassion for people who don’t know Him to grow in...

Luke 6:20-22; 36-38 “MAKARIOS” = Happy, fortunate, to be envied True happiness happens when I realize that God is more concerned with my holiness, than my happiness. Take the focus off yourself. Listen to the Holy Spirit. True happiness happens when I live an open-handed and generous life. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be po...

Nehemiah 8:1-12 1. The joy of the Lord is your strength / Happy isn’t enough Happy is something that happens to you. Joy is something that comes out of you. 2. The joy of the Lord is your strength / Force your focus on God 3. The joy of the Lord is your strength / Your passion determines your power The purpose of spiritual disciplines (prayer, Bible reading, meditation, fasting, fellowship, servic...

John 15:26-John 16:11 Work of the Holy Spirit 1. Conviction: The “Convictor” of sin in ourselves and others. a. Small voice that says, “Go this way.” (John 14:25-27) b. We can “speak the truth in love” but we can’t ultimately do the work of changing someone’s heart and mind. (Ephesians 4:11-17) 2. Righteousness Revealed: Making clear God’s Way of Salvation and Life. a. Jesus’ death and coming resu...

John 14-15 Three types of Obedience Empower by the Holy Spirit: 1. Fear of the Lord a. Pharoah after the plagues and repeated requests to let God’s people God. (Exodus 12:31) b. Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar after the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. (Daniel 3:26-29) c. Ezra after returning from Babylon and teaching the Torah. (Ezra 7-10) d. Proverbs 1: Fear of the Lord is the...

Zerubbabel: Rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1-6) Ezra: Teach the Torah (Ezra 7-10) Nehemiah: Rebuild the Walls (Nehemiah 1-3) Nehemiah was more concerned with his relationship with God, than the plan for his endeavor. Nehemiah asked for favor before provision. Nehemiah: Faces Opposition (Nehemiah 4-7) I want to be right with God so I can do the right things with God. 24“ ‘For I will take you out of the n...

Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites – everyone whose heart God had moved – prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. Pg. 263; Ezra 1:5 “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to...

1. God will make a way. Ezra 1:1-4 | The Story, Pg. 263 2. Things need to be different. Ezra 3:3 | The Story, Pg. 264 3. Stay alert to the enemy’s schemes. Ezra 4:3 | The Story, Pg. 265 “If we put first things first, we get the second things thrown in; but if we put second things first, we lose both the first and second things.” C.S. Lewis Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the...

I. Outstanding Character Dare to be Daniel / Dare to stand alone / Dare to have purpose firm / Dare to make it known. Philip Bliss II. Overcoming Courage 1. Death to Self-will. 2. Joy Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” He said, “Look! I see four...

2 Kings 21:1-9 2 Chronicles 33:10-11 3 Phrases You Might Say if You are Choosing Your Way: 1. I don’t need to pray about this, I can do this. 2. Is this really that bad? Justification is the first step away from God. 3. I know the Bible says_______ BUT…… 2 Chronicles 33:12-13 2 Chronicles 33:21-23 Jeremiah 1:4-5 5 Scriptures to Speak and Pray Over this Generation: Provers 3:7-8, Romans 12:2, Ephes...

I. Isaiah saw God. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth i...

Who or what we worship is the most important choice we make in life. God invites us to enjoy all his gifts but to worship him only. There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the LORD drove out before Israel. 1 Kings 21:25-26 “As the LORD, the God of Isr...

“Your father Solomon put a heavy yoke, burden on us, now if you lighten our load, lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, we will follow you forever” 1 Kings 12:4 (Paraphrase) If You Lighten Their Load “It’s Not About You” It’s All About You Train up a child in accordance to their own way and when they are old they will not depart. Proverbs 22:6 Jesus' First Miracle- Water to Wine...

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. Ecclesiastes 12:13 1. The Early Years The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God...

In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 11:1 After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the Lord. 2 Samuel 11:2...

Matthew 28:1-10 I. He Descended a. Temptation He was tempted in every way that we were and yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15 b. Pain c. Rejection d. God-forsakenness He who knew no sin became sin on our behalf. II Corinthians 5:21 e. Cursedness Cursed is he that hangs on a tree. Galatians 3:13 II. He Ascended Therefore he is able to save completely (to the uttermost) those who come to God through him....

God will do things in your life that, in the moment, will resonate with you. You will feel it and know it to be God. God has made contact with you BUT it could take years for the fulfillment of the implication of that contact. The lesson: Be patient. Wait on the Lord. Promotion comes from the Lord. 1. Saul Loyalty to the people of God. Loyalty to the God of the people. 2. Goliath The person who si...

1 Samuel 1-3 1 Samuel 1:25-27 The Lord can be trusted with whatever he has entrusted to you. 1 Samuel 2:1-2 We must resist the urge to receive and secure. Instead, we must be a people of receive and release. Our young people need our help in realizing the voice and activity of God in their lives. 1 Samuel 3:1-10,19 How to Position our Lives and Families to Encounter Jesus: People: Relationships th...