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The Way of Love Lived Out

The Way of Love Lived Out

Dave Riddle - 6/30/2024

Key Passages: Hebrews 13:1-6

Recap: Hebrews is…

A book of Exhortation

- Let us…

A book of Anticipation

- Looking forward

A book of Exultation

- Jesus is greater

A book of Application

- Chapter 13 specifically

Let brotherly love continue

- Hebrews 13:1

- Let the love of the brothers and sisters of Christ (the Church) continue.

- We are called to live the way of love.

- Colossians 3:14 - wrap yourselves in unselfish love… the perfect love of unity.

- 1 Peter 1:22 - Love one another constantly.

- John 13 - Love one another, just as I have loved you… by this, all people will know that you are my disciples.

- Something that we can ONLY do by the power of the Spirit.

Hospitality

- Hebrews 13:2

- Starts with the family of God and extends to all people.

- Let love extend, even to those who are strangers.

- Angel = messenger.

- Possibly a spiritual being.

- Possibly someone bearing the gospel.

Show genuine concern for those who are struggling

- Hebrews 13:3

- Prisoners

- The mistreated

- Those who are suffering in the body.

- Romans 12:9-15

- We may not have the ability or words to make things better, but we CAN be present.

- What does this look like for us today?

- Certainly, it doesn’t mean we can do nothing.

- Matthew 25:34-36

Marriage is to be honored

- Hebrews 13:4

- Love your spouse

One thing we shouldn’t love

- Hebrews 13:5

- Free from the love of money

- 1 Timothy 6:10

- Luke 12:15

- Mark 10 (Rich Young Ruler)

- Be satisfied with what you have.

- Philippians 4:11-12

- Contentment

He will never leave or forsake us!

- Hebrews 13:5

- Deuteronomy 31:6

- Matthew 28:20

The Lord is our helper

- Hebrews 13:6

- Romans 8:38-39

What is Church?

What is Church?

Dave Riddle - 6/09/2024

Key Passages: Acts 2:42-44, 2 Corinthians 8:1-5

“There is no relationship with God apart from His family”

Consumerism is about:

- satisfaction

- Entitlement

- More for me

- Obsession

- Devouring

- We think WE are doing the devouring, but instead IT devours us.

Community is about:

- being on mission

- Responsibility

- Serving others

- Freedom

- Creating

Partnership

- God desires for you to be an active partner, not a passive observer.

- 2 Corinthians 8:23

- Philippians 1:4-5

- Hebrews 10:33

- Philemon 17

- Acts 2:42-44

- koinos: “All things in common” = common; shared by all our several

- koinonos: associate, comrade, companion, sharer, partner

- koinonia: fellowship, association, joint participation, communion, community, the state one has in something, partnership

The mindset of partnership

- 2 Corinthians 8:1-5

- melos: being a living part of an interconnected body/dynamic body.

- Romans 12 & 1 Corinthians 12

- a partner is someone who is engaged with the organization’s mission

What is our focus?

- Privilege or responsibility?

- Get or give?

- Passive or active involvement?

How?

- Philippians 2:3-5

- Love, unity, humility, a common mission…

- A family on mission

What is Faith?

What is Faith?

Dave Riddle - 5/12/2024

Key Passages: Hebrews 11:1-6

Faith is the reality of what is hoped for

- Hebrews 11:1

- Hypostasis: Reality, assurance, support, strong foundation

- Not a wistful longing, but an absolute certainty.

- “I hope the weather is nice this afternoon”

Faith is… the proof of what is not seen

- Hebrews 11:1

- Proof, conviction, evidence

Faith is the thing by which we are approved

- Hebrews 11:2

- Witnesses of faith

By faith we understand that God created everything

- Hebrews 11:3

- By faith we believe

Faith recognizes, worships, and obeys

- Abel

- Hebrews 11:4

- Genesis 4:4

Faith believes and draws near

- Enoch

- Hebrews 11:5-6

- Genesis 5:21-24

- Jude 14-15

We are people who are called to live by faith

- Are we people who walk by faith?

- Or are we people who walk by sight?

- Do we live by what we think is best, or do we live by what God says is best?

Walking with Jesus

Walking with Jesus

Dave Riddle - 4/7/2024

Key Passage: Luke 24:13-37

Jesus came near and walked with them

- Luke 24:13-15

- Now you see me.

- Luke 24:16 - they were prevented from recognizing Him

- Now you don’t.

Jesus stops us in our tracks

- Luke 24:17

- Jesus knows the answer, but he sets them up for a teachable moment.

They didn’t understand what they had experienced

- Luke 24:19-24

- They lacked a spiritual perspective.

- They forgot what Jesus said would happen.

- They failed to acknowledge the resurrection.

They Invited Him to Abide with them

- Luke 24:28-29

- Stay with us. Abide with us.

Watch out for and welcome Jesus into your life!

- Don’t pass up opportunities to invite Jesus into your daily life.

- Ask him to abide with you.

Submit to as Lord

- Do you have expectations that you need to surrender?

Get perspective through truth

- When we encounter truth our perspective changes.

- Do we examine the circumstances of our lives through the lens of scripture?

Be a witness

- Luke 24:33-35

- The two disciples got up immediately to share the good news of their encounter with Jesus.

As followers of Jesus we don’t travel through life alone. Allow Jesus’ presence and His truth to transform your life.

Jesus: Our Promised Hope

Jesus: Our Promised Hope

Dave Riddle - 1/28/2024

Key Passage: Hebrews 6:13-20

We inherit the promise

- Hebrews 6:12-13

- Genesis 12, 15, 22

- Through Abram a blessing for the entire world.

- Jesus.

Guaranteed with an Oath

- Hebrews 6:13-17

- Galatians 3:29

- Heirs according to the promise

Jesus is our refuge!

- Hebrews 6:18

- Size the hope set before you

We have this hope as our anchor

- Hebrews 6:19-20

- Our hope is Jesus.

- The perfect priest.

- The perfect sacrifice.

Are You Spiritually Lazy?

Are You Spiritually Lazy?

Dave Riddle - 1/21/2024

Key Passage: Hebrews 5:11-6:12

Laziness

- Hebrews 5:11

- Dullness to the word. Stupidity.

Unready to Share

- Hebrews 5:12

- You ought to be teachers, but you still need basic instruction.

We live on baby food

- Hebrews 5:12-14

- Solid food = Teaching that goes beyond the basics.

- Baby food is great for babies, but it’s not great for adults.

Advance towards Maturity

- Hebrews 6:1-3

- Move beyond these elementary teachings and allow ourselves to be challenged.

A Tricky Passage

- Hebrews 6:4-6a

- parapito: to slip aside, fall beside, deviate from the right path, turn aside or wander

- Many views on what this passage means depending on how the words are translated and who the intended audience is.

What kind of fruit are you producing?

- Hebrews 6:7-8

- Are we advancing in fruitfulness?

How are you serving?

- Hebrews 6:9-10

- Our lives should be marked by service

Diligence not Laziness

- Hebrews 6:11-12

- Speedy, diligent, passionate, looking for opportunities.

Imitators

- Hebrews 6:12

- Imitators of those who have faith and perseverance.

- Worthy of being imitated by someone else.

Our Great High Priest

Our Great High Priest

Dave Riddle - 1/14/2024

Key Passage: Hebrews 4:14-5:10

The Great High Priest

- Hebrews 4:14

- Enthroned in Heaven

- The Son of God

Appointed by God

- Hebrews 5:1

- An act of God’s grace to restore broken relationships.

- Hebrews 5:6 (and 6 other places in Hebrews)

- A permanent priesthood

- A different kind of priest

- Hebrews 5:6

- A priest and a king.

Sympathetic to the People

- Hebrews 4:15-16

- A High Priest who understands our weakness

- Hebrews 5:2, 7-8

- Jesus did what the priests did not.

- Hebrews 3, 9

- He offered himself as a sacrifice

Hold Fast

- Hebrews 4:14

- Let us hold tightly to the confession of our faith. What Jesus did for us.

Approach the throne of grace

- Hebrews 4:16

- So that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.

The Promised Rest

Phil Woodman - 1/7/2024

Key Passage: Hebrews 4:1-13

They will not enter my rest…

- Hebrews 3:11, 4:3

- The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years.

- A loss of blessing, not a loss of connection.

Rest

- Hebrews 4:1-13: Rest is mentioned 11 times in 13 verses

Don’t make the same mistake as the ancient Israelites

- Hebrews 4

What is God’s Rest?

- Hebrews 4:3-4

- The author appeals back to creation.

- On the seventh day God rested.

- Eternal rest. No evening, no morning.

- God offers us this same rest.

Greater than Joshua’s rest

- Hebrews 4:8

- Joshua 22:4

- The work was done. They could go home and rest.

- That must have felt amazing after years of slavery, wandering, and fighting.

- It was incomplete and pales in comparison to the rest offered by Jesus.

- We are a tired and disconnected people.

- Rest.

God’s rest is available today

- Hebrews 4:7

- Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.

- Hebrews 4:9

- …a sabbath rest remains for God’s people.

How do we enter God’s rest?

- Hebrews 4:11-13

- Make every effort to enter that rest.

- Fight for sabbath. It’s ok to say no! Is ok to have free time.

- Rest in God’s Word.

Hope in Times of Trouble - New Year’s Eve

Hope in Times of Trouble - New Year’s Eve

Paul Trulock - 12/31/23

Key Passage: Psalm 46

Preparing for 2024

Selah

- To pause and calmly think

Our Refuge in Times of Trouble

- Psalm 46:1

- God is our refuge and strength

- God is an ever-present help

God is Resident in us

- Psalm 46:7

- The Lord of Hosts is with us

- Also, Psalm 46:11

- Individually and as a church.

Relax

- Psalm 46:10

- Be still, cease fighting, stop resisting… and know that I am God.

- Know that I am God

- In our minds and in our hearts.

We know all this, so why do we worry?

- I believe. Help my unbelief.

- Mark 9:24

- We fear the unknown, and lack faith.

Help me overcome my unbelief

1. Be honest with God

2. Abide with God

3. Submit to God