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Weekend Recap – Prayer, Prayer & Families

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Today’s sermons are now online.

In the AM, we started looking at the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9. The sermon, Model Prayer (1), discussed 2 instructions for prayer based on “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name…”. What most people (including myself) were amazed at was how Jesus always called God His Father in prayer, except on the cross (my God). This seems to inform our intimate approach to Him as our Father because of what Jesus has done.

In the PM, we started a series entitled the Gospel Centered Family with a sermon on Prayer and the Family. I tried to highlight how, for families, we must pray, teach prayer and model prayer. I also tried to bring Gospel-centered insights to this.

Hopefully God uses these words to continue to form us into a people of prayer.

Weekend Recap – Prayer, Following and Missions

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Yesterday AM’s sermon, Wordy Prayer, from Jesus’ words on prayer in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:7-8) is now online. Basically, I understand Jesus encouraging us to not get too hung up on the content or linguistical make-up of the prayers. Many were encouraged that I formed a new word during the sermon “cakeness”. At any rate, hopefully the sermon helps people to go hard after the Father Himself in prayer.

In the evening, we continued our work through Thabiti’s What Is a Healthy Church Member? (IX Marks). My group had great discussion on chapter 9: a church member is a humble follower.

Finally, our weekend at Crestview included a visit from missionaries we support in Brazil. The Bacheller Family visited us and updated on their current ministry. We enjoyed good fellowship with them for the entire weekend and many in our church had the privilege of hosting them for a meal. Thanks to all in the church who made this a possibility.

Weekend Recap – Hypocritical Prayer

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Yesterday’s sermon, Hypocritical Prayer, from Matthew 6:5-6 is now online. This sermon helped kick off our Week of Prayer. As a church, our elders have devoted a week to turn and look to God, expressing our dependence on Him. This sermon also started a series of about 7 sermons on Jesus’ words on prayer in the Sermon on the Mount, so it was a great day.

The sermon showed the rewards of hypocritical prayer and the rewards of secret prayer. What was staggering to me is that God promises that when we go to Him in secret prayer He will be there. He will reward. I hope you can listen to this and find the confidence to go to Him in prayer.

Weekend Recap – Losing Jesus?

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Yesterday’s sermon, Losing Jesus from Luke 2:41-52, is now online. In this sermon, I draw applications from Jesus’ parents losing Jesus to how we so easily lose the Gospel and drift from the core foundational realities that are to define our life. I think it was C.J. Mahaney who urged his listeners (in sermons on the Cross-Centered life from New Attitude 2001) to “tighten our grip on the Gospel — no days off allowed.” Too often we relax and subtly drift from the message of first importance. This was the heart of my sermon: for you to not drift from the Gospel but to hold fast to it.

I know we had a lot of people out visiting family, as well. I hope you had a great weekend and continue to delight in your Savior through these days.

Weekend Recap – Peace

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Today’s in the books and to recap the Lord’s day, had a fine AM, looking at Peace from Luke 2:13-14. Our world’s definition of peace and the peace that comes from God are two different things. Jesus came so that we might have open access to God Himself. It is only through Jesus, who came to save His people from their sins, that the unrighteous are made righteous. It was an amazing morning.

Tonight, our church gathered and we worshipped using Andrew Peterson’s Behold the Lamb of God music. Our people always walk awed by God and His descending to earth for us through this musical. At any rate, we’re full. Looking forward to a great week celebrating these foundational truths.

Weekend Recap – Joy

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This weekend’s sermon from Sunday AM is now online. It is entitled Joy from Luke 2:8-12. The sermon sought to reason how the Gospel is good news of great joy.

After the AM service, we had our Annual Member’s meeting, affirming one lay elder and 4 men as deacons. We also approved the 2011 Budget.

In the PM, the joy continued as Ben Cornish shared with us of the Gospel’s advance in Australia. We are rejoicing in his partnership with us in the Gospel. Awesome day.

Weekend Recap – Love

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Today, the second week of Advent featured some great singing and reveling in God’s love for us through a very familiar place. The sermon, Love, from John 3:16 is now online. During one part of the sermon, I was pressing how many times our appreciation for the Gospel is much like our appreciation for “black socks”. We really do need them, but it really isn’t what we want. Similarly, most Christians know they need the Gospel but what they really want is for God to make them healthy, wealthy and blessed. Being passionate for those things over and against the Gospel is treating the amazing gift of love in Jesus like “black socks.”

It was a great morning. Just got out of Missions Committee meeting, much to be excited about there with potential opportunities for ministry soon. Anticipate rich fellowship tonight in small group as well. Hope you had a great Lord’s Day.

Weekend Recap – Advent Week 1

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After the holiday week last week (which involved me traveling to Illinois), it was great to be back with the saints at Crestview yesterday. We started a series on Advent, focusing in on the word HOPE in a message from Malachi 4:4-6. In the sermon, I tried to show how God was working in these final words of the OT to prep us for Christ and His coming.

After the AM service, we had the 1st of 2 information meetings on the 2011 budget. These meetings allow the congregation to gather and discuss the budget with leadership. We did one yesterday, will have one December 5th and then will ask for congregational affirmation on the 12th. Big changes in this year’s budget are some monies to update our web page, monies to help us achieve our goal of a safe children’s area through background screenings on workers, and monies reallocated in our international missions line items.

In the PM, we gathered to serve one another by “decking the halls” or “hanging the greens” with lots of great fellowship.

This weekend was also busy for me serving the May family. Fred May passed away last Friday, November 26th. I was privileged to serve the family today, encouraging them from Jesus’ words in John 11:25-27.

It’s been a full weekend, but a great time to find hope in Christ.

Weekend Recap – Christ Alone/Be Thankful

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This weekend had numerous highlights. On Sun AM, I preached on Colossians 2:6-7. The sermon was titled Christ Alone. This overview of Colossians sought to plant us as a church firmly in the Gospel-Centered camp. We want to be defined by the Gospel and be Gospel people.

In the evening, we gathered for a church wide Thanksgiving meal. Good time. Always a highlight thinking of how God has blessed us as a church. Hope you have a great week abounding in thanksgiving because of the amazing truth of the Gospel.

Weekend Recap – Suffering & Discipline

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Yesterday, because of my study leave, Graham Hill filled the pulpit here at Crestview. His sermon, Following Jesus In Suffering, from Mark 8:27-37 and further thoughts from 1 Peter 4 is online. I really appreciated this word and really felt that it challenged us to joyfully embrace all that God has for us in following Jesus as our Lord.

In the PM, we continued working through Thabiti’s book and read mark 7: A Healthy Church Member Seeks Discipline. Our group had a great discussion and really sought out some healthy application of ways we can embrace both formative and corrective discipline in the local church.

What a rich Lord’s Day…now, for grace to live it.