(News: June 1, 2020)
When Jesus was asked which was the most important command, he said there were two: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. This summer we would like to help others connect, plug-in and especially grow through twelve practical sermons on practicing love for God and others. Each message will focus on some aspect of loving God and others with our hearts, minds or hands.
Important Note: The order of the messages and the dates they are preached will likely change as we get closer to the middle of summer and vacation plans and possibilities for Bob and the elders become more clear.
Practicing Love for God and Others
Date: June 7, 2020
Title: The Jesus Creed
Text: Mark 12:28-31
Topic: Overview
Worship: Loving God
Key Sentence:
What is better than taking seriously what Jesus says is the most important?
Outline:
I. The Challenge (Mark 12:28)
II. The Most Important (Mark 12:29-30)
III. The Second is This (Mark 12:31)
Date: June 14, 2020
Title: Always Be Prepared
Text: 1 Peter 3:13-17 (with 1 Chronicles 12:32)
Topic: Loving God and others with our minds
Worship: Honor Christ as Lord
Key Sentence: As Christianity continues to be challenged, each of us can prepare to give an answer
Outline:
I. Apologetics is wrapped in doing good
II. Apologetics is read to make a defense of the faith
III. Apologetics strives to understand the times
IV. Apologetics gives respectful, gentle reasons for our hope
Date: June 21, 2020
Title: Blessed Gratitude
Texts: 1 Peter 1:3-5, 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Topic: Loving God and others with our hearts
Key Sentence: Gratitude is a godly practice that is good for our souls
Outline:
I. To God, For God (1 Peter 1:3-5)
II. To God, to others, for others (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3)
III. In Circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Date: June 28, 2020
Title: Good Works
Texts:
Topic: Loving God and others with our hands, our strength
Worship: The Work of our Hands
Key Sentence: We are not saved by good works but we are saved for good works
Outline:
I. Saved for Good Works (Ephesians 2:10, Title 2:11-14)
II. The Witness of Good Works (Matthew 5:14-16)
III. Practicing of Good Works (Ephesians 4:28, James 2:15-16)
IV. Persevering in good works. (Galatians 6:9-10)
Date: July 5, 2020
Title: “Reject the lies and believe the truth”
Text: John 18:38, John 8:42-47, Genesis 3:1-6, and John 8:31-32
Topic: Loving God and others with our minds
Worship: “Truth”
Key Sentence: “The liar tempts us to believe lies about God and ourselves, but we have the truth.”
Outline:
I. Who is the truth? (John 18:36-38)
II. Who is the liar? (John 8:42-47)
III. What does the liar do and what should we do? (Genesis 3:1-6, John 8:31-32)
Date: July 12, 2020
Title: The Practice of His Presence
Texts: Psalm 139:7-10, Psalm 63:1-8, Psalm 19:7-8, John 14:25-26, Romans 1:18-20, Romans 2:14-15
Topic: Loving God and others with our hearts
Key Sentence: The presence of God is a conversation
Outline:
I. We speak to him constantly, inwardly (Psalm 139:7-10, Psalm 63:1-8)
II. He speaks through His word and his Spirit (Psalm 19:7-8, John 14:25-26)
III. He speaks through creation and conscience (Romans 1:18-20, Romans 2:14-15)
Date: July 19, 2020
Title: The Compassionate Heart of Christ
Texts: Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 14:13-21, Hebrews 12:1-2
Topic: Loving God and others with our hearts
Worship: His Compassion
Key Sentence: We must embrace the compassionate heart of Christ
Outline:
I. The gentle and lowly heart of Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30)
II. The compassionate heart of Jesus (Matthew 14:13-21)
III. The joyful heart of Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Date: July 26, 2020
Title: The People Who Know Their God
Text: Daniel 11:32 and others from Daniel
Topic: Loving God and others with our minds
Worship: Knowing You
Key Sentence: What were we made for? To know God!
Outline:
The people who know their God
I. have great energy for God (Daniel 11:32, Daniel 6:10, Daniel 9:1-4)
II. have great thoughts of God (Daniel 4:24-25)
III. have great boldness for God (Daniel 3:15-18)
IV. have great contentment in God (Daniel 6;19-22)
Date: August 2, 2020
Title: One Another (Joseph)
Texts: Selected ‘one anothers’ of the New Testament
Topic: Loving God and others with our hearts
Worship: Let us Love one Another
Key Sentence: The New Testament allows us to make loving others very practical
Outline: (none)
Date: August 9, 2020
Title: Do Not Be Conformed (David)
Text: 1 John 2:15-17, Isaiah 8:12-13, Romans 12:1-2
Worship: Only a Holy God
Topic: Loving God and others with our minds
Key Sentence: If you put garbage in your mind, you get garbage out of your mind
Outline:
I. Stated negatively (1 John 2:15-17)
II. Stated comparatively (Daniel 8:12-13)
III. Stated positively (Romans 12:1-2)
Date: August 16, 2020
Title: Simplicity
Texts: 1 Timothy 6:6-11
Topic: Loving God and others with our hands, our strength
Worship: My One Thing
Key Sentence: Simplicity leaves room in our lives to pursue the right things
Outline:
I. Contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6-8)
II. Love of money is a disaster (1 Timothy 6:9-10)
III. We’ve got better things to pursue (1 Timothy 6:11)
Date: August 23, 2020
Title: Evangelism as Exiles (A book report on two books)
Text: 1 Peter 1:1-2
Topic: Loving God and others with our minds
Worship: Build Your Kingdom Here
Key Sentence: As exiles in this culture, we graciously bring it good news
Outline:
Text: 1 Peter 1:1-2, Embracing Exile
1 Peter 1:6, 1 Peter 1:21, 1 Peter 3:15, The Hope of Glory
1 Peter 1:17 1 Peter 3:6 fighting fear with fear
1 Peter 2:13-17 1 Peter 3:1-6 With Respect for All
1 Peter 2:9-10 Declaring His Praises
1 Peter 2:11-12 Visibly Different
1 Peter 4:8-10 The Good News of Home