We are rolling at Crestview Bible Church in our Ecclesiastes.  There are lots of things happening in life right now, so I haven’t posted here lately.  So far, I’ve completed 3 sermons in the book of Ecclesiastes:

Our Toil Under the Sun – Introduction and Ecclesiastes 1:1-8 (10/7/18)

Investigating Your Toil – Ecclesiastes 1:9-2:26 (10/14/18)

God’s Wisdom for Time and Life – Ecclesiastes 3:1-4:16 (10/21/18)

What a challenging book?  I hope it’s bearing fruit in the lives of our people.  These are challenging sermons to prepare as I’m trying to move pretty quickly through this book.  I’m hoping you benefit as well.

 

My 9/30/18AM sermon, Suffering Leads to Glory for the Church from 1 Peter 5:5-11, is now online.  On top of wrapping up the book of 1 Peter, this sermon helped give clarification and application for what we do with the book itself.  God is moving His people to glory, even if it takes bringing them through suffering.  And, these movements include: embracing humility, stepping into spiritual alertness, and anticipating glory.  It’s all active and calling for us to follow Jesus.  I hope this sermon encourages you.

My friend Thad Bergmeier preached for me on 9/23.  I asked him to do some training on evangelism during the Sunday School hour.  He did some My Circle Training, which is a simple method for intentional Gospel engagement.

During the AM sermon, Thad preached 1 Corinthians 10:23-31 on Glorifying God in Your Life.  I appreciated the application for how we need to think intentionally about engaging our unbelieving friends.

My 9/16/18AM sermon, Suffering Leads to Glory for Elders (1 Peter 5:1-4), is now online.  This sermon got at the work that elders do.  They share in the sufferings of Christ.  They also shepherd out of the example of Christ Himself.  And, for those who are faithful, they can anticipate being honored with glory.  So, there are high stakes for the church in these verses.  I hope it encourages you.

My 9/9/18AM sermon, Suffering Leads To Glory from 1 Peter 4:12-19, is now online.  This sermon introduced (and dug in) to this big final section of the book of 1 Peter.  And, the theme of this big final section is about suffering leading to glory.  This sermon dug in to the reality of suffering and what God might be up to in the midst of it.  I hope it encourages you.

My 9/2/18AM sermon, God Glorified in Everything from 1 Peter 4:7-11, is now online.  The sermon sought to engage the way we live.   There’s a tension between the two realities of Christ’s return and how we can glorify God in everything.  In the middle of this tension, we prepare ourselves to live by preparing for prayer, sin, the family, and grace.  I hope this sermon encourages you.

My 8/26/18AM sermon, Living in Christ’s Victory from 1 Peter 4:1-6, is now online.  The sermon sought to unpack how we’re encoruaged to really live in light of Christ’s victory.  Specifically, we live in light of His suffering.  We live distinct from the world.  And, we live in light of the resurrection.  I hope this sermon encourages you.

We had another baptism yesterday morning and my sermon, Encouragement in Suffering from 1 Peter 3:18-22 is now online.  This section of Scripture is challenging.  Most commentators do not agree on the meaning.  But, I think we found some clear truths that encourage us.  Specifically, we saw that Jesus’ victory and our salvation are sure things.  I hope this day encouraged you.

My 8/12/18AM sermon Ready To Suffer for Doing Good from 1 Peter 3:13-17 is now online.  It’s difficult to preach a sermon like this.  The heart of the passage is that we should expect suffering.  But, the passage didn’t leave us there.  It showed us a compelling way to live in light of suffering.  We are realize we’re blessed.  We set Christ apart, utmost in our affections.  And, we voice the hope we have with humility.  Finally, this passage called us to trust God, who can deal with our “opposition.”  I hope this sermon encourages you.

My 8/5/18AM sermon, Living as the Church from 1 Peter 3:8-12, is now online.   Peter has called his readers to live as exiles and sojourners (out of the identity they have as God’s people).  This passage shows how we can forsake sin and do good, for effect.   Specifically, there are sins of speech, a drift towards revenge, and evil we are called away from.  Positively, we’re called to do good, seeking brotherly love, blessing others, and pursuing peace.  The effect?  This leads to blessing, or as v.12 puts it: God’s eyes seeing and His ears being attentive.  I hope this sermon encourages your living with others in the body of Christ.