Luke 17:7-10 Heart Of Christ's Servant
this Sunday, we will continue examining how we make disciples and grow as disciples. The last three weeks, we have talked about worshiping corporately and personally, and we have shown the importance of connecting in discipling relationships. This Sunday we will see how serving is essential for making disciples and growing as disciples. We will examine Luke 17:7-10 and hear how Jesus explains the heart of a servant to His disciples. Verses 7-10 will be our focus, but we will read Luke 17:1-10 to see the incredible context which leads Jesus to speak about service to the Lord. Please read Luke 17:1-10 for Sunday as we look at the heart of Christ’s servant. As servants of Christ, our highest priority is to be faithful.
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Hebrews 3:7-15 Connect: Battling The Deceitfulness Of Sin Together
Right now we are reminding ourselves of who we are at First Baptist Church. We exist to make disciples of Jesus and grow as disciples of Jesus. We have seen that discipleship is not a destination. It is the lifelong process by which believers are always deepening in their relationship with Christ and moving closer to Christlikedness in their walk. We saw from Acts chapter 2 that the early church in Jerusalem discipled thousands of new believers by worshiping, connecting in discipling relationships, and serving one another as they served Jesus in evangelism and disciple-making. Worship, Connect, Serve is much more than a pithy slogan. It is the means by which believers grow in Christ. Over the last two weeks, Dave and Cameron preached on corporate worship and personal worship. They showed us from the Scripture how important worship is for the growing disciple. Ultimately, we become like what we worship. This Sunday, we will examine the importance of connecting in discipling relationships. Growing in Christ cannot be done in isolation. Jesus’ model of disciplemaking involved an intentionally small group of disciples who were relationally bound together under His teaching. They followed and learned as they daily walked with Him through His earthly ministry. In this same pattern, the early church continued the practice of smaller groups (Acts 2:46-49.) To illustrate the urgent and essential nature of being in accountable discipling relationships with one another, we will examine Hebrews 3:7-15. The Hebrew Christians were being tempted to leave from following Jesus and go back to the old ways of Judaism. They were suffering persecution, being treated as outcasts by their own family and friends, and enduring hardship because they had professed faith in Christ. The temptation was great to just go back to the old religion they had always known. The book of Hebrews is written to encourage them to remain faithful to Christ. Again and again, Hebrews shows us that Jesus is better than the old sacrifices, temple, priests, and even Moses. Jesus is the fulfillment of all these things. As the writer exhorts them not to turn away from Christ, he shows us the importance of being in discipling relationships with one another. Hebrews 3:13 says, “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” We were never intended to fight alone. We were never intended to battle the world, the flesh, and the devil in isolation.
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Acts 2:42-47 The Disciple Making Church
This Sunday will be our first service in the remodeled sanctuary. This is an exciting and overwhelming time in the life of our church. About four years ago, we began talking seriously about building, and through this process we have seen God’s hand working at every step. Of course, the building is beautiful and more spacious and we praise the Lord for His work among us. But what I find more amazing is that, by the grace of God, we have come through this entire project united together as a body. Sunday we have a new church building - but it is the church (all of you) that makes First Baptist Church such an oasis in the desert. I am thankful that God has brought us together to carry this baton that has been passed to us. And just like God led us through this building project, he will lead us to carry out His will as we commit ourselves to the gospel above all, feeding on the word of God together, and investing ourselves in making disciples. God is doing an amazing work among us (I’m not talking about the new building) and what we have at FBC is worth passing down to the next generation. It’s my prayer that no matter what state the word descends into, there will always be a place in Mulvane where disciples of Christ are made and grow strong.
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Matthew 28:16-20 The Mission Hasn't Changed
There are lots of changes happening at First Baptist Church. We are still on track to have our first service in the new sanctuary Sunday Sept. 17th. It will be at 10am and we will only have one service. I’m sure we are all looking forward to the new space. This is the beginning of a new chapter in the life and history of First Baptist Church and I am overjoyed to be embarking on this journey with this congregation. Sunday the 17th, won’t be the end of this project. It will just be the beginning. While there are many things that are changing and have changed in the life of our church, our mission hasn’t changed. We are called by the authority of our Lord, as individual believers and as a church, to His mission. The mission is to make disciples. This building is a glorious work of God and we have seen God’s hand move in mighty ways throughout this whole process. But I don’t believe God has provided this building as an end in itself. It is a tool for us to more effectively make disciples and grow as disciples of Jesus. The mission will not change until the end of the age. To remind ourselves of that, we will examine Matthew 28:16-20 this Sunday as we continue focusing our hearts on who Christ calls us to be at First Baptist Church. This passage is often called the Great Commission. It is what Jesus calls the church (all of us) to be doing until he returns.
Last week as we looked at the end of Revelation, we saw how the Bible is one grand story of redemption. God is moving to restore creation to what was intended in the garden. And you are part of that epic story. You have a place in the movement of God’s kingdom toward His goal. Adam and Eve were commissioned to be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth with God’s image. But sin spread with humanity. It spread so profusely that God destroyed all life with a global flood and began again with Noah, who he also told to be fruitful and multiply. But Noah also failed. Then Israel was called to be a light to the nations, and they rebelled in unbelief. Finally, Jesus the Son of God took on a human nature and defeated the sin that pervaded the creation. Now by the Holy Spirit, His people are being conformed to the image of His Son. And so we have the same commission as Adam and Eve - be fruitful and multiply. We spread this image over the earth as we make disciples of Jesus Christ. As we study the Great Commission we find that:
I. The Mission isn’t Given to Perfect Disciples (v. 16-17)
II. The Mission Bears The Authority of Jesus (v. 18)
III. The Mission Is To Make Disciples (v.19-20)
IV. The Mission is Empowered By Jesus HImself (v. 20)
I am looking forward to the book of Hebrews and getting back to preaching section by section. I am still firm in my conviction that verse by verse is how God intends us to study His word. But taking several weeks to remind ourselves of who we are and who we are going to be no matter what is extremely important. Our mission is to make disciples and grow as disciples, and we do that just as the early church did in Acts 2:42-47, by worshiping, connecting, and serving. So in the first Sunday in our new Sanctuary (Sept. 17) we will look at that passage in Acts.
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Revelation 21:1-4; 22:1-5 Our Eternal Hope
Before we launch into the book of Hebrews, we will take some time to remind ourselves of our mission at FBC, to make disciples of Jesus and grow as disciples of Jesus. Last week, we heard Paul tell Timothy to "train yourself for godliness" in 1 Timothy 4:6-10. If you weren’t able to be there, I would encourage you to go to www.fbcmulvane.com and listen to that text. Discipleship is not a destination it is a path we walk all the way until we reach glory. Until that day, we sow to the Spirit as we train ourselves in the things God uses to grow us in godliness. But before we begin detailing those things God uses (which are under the categories of Worship, Connect, Serve). It is important for us to understand what Paul meant in 1 Timothy 4:10 when he said, "For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe." When we train, strive, and toil, we must keep our eyes on the true hope. Our hope isn’t in our training. It is in God who has told us how this race will end. When we turn our eyes upon things above, we are able to keep on sowing, and "not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Gal. 6:9). To that end, this Sunday we will examine the first and last section of John’s description of the new heavens and earth, the new Jerusalem in Revelation 21:1-4 and 22:1-5. We will examine what awaits us in eternity and the hope for which we long. We won’t have enough time to walk through all of chapter 21, but I would suggest you read 21:1-22:5 before Sunday because I will be referencing a few things in there.
We can strive and toil to grow in what we have been freely given because we know where our hope lies. Sunday we will examine what our eternal hope and the glory of our eternal state with Jesus.
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1 Timothy 4:6-10 - Training For Godliness
1 Timothy 4:6-10, where Paul tells Timothy what a good servant of Jesus Christ looks like. What is most striking to me about the letter to Timothy is that though Paul is writing to tell him how to build up the church(es) and how to be faithful as a minister of Jesus Christ, Paul continually draws Timothy’s focus to watching over his own walk and godliness. And it is in this text that he tells Timothy to train for godliness. Having just come out of Galatians, this may sound strange to us. But Sunday, we will see that training for godliness and depending upon the Spirit do not contradict. Even in Galatians, Paul could say that we are to walk in the Spirit as He produces His fruit, and at the same time we sow to the Spirit and not the flesh. This is essential for us to comprehend if we are to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. We must:
I. Be Nourished On The Word of God (v. 6) - (ESV says "train" here but it is more appropriately "nourish"
II. Train For Godliness (v. 7-9)
III. Strive With Our Hope In The God Who Saves (v. 10)
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1 Corinthians 12:12-26 Unity In The Body
Aaron Blagg preaching at First Baptist Church Mulvane, KS
Psalm 127 - Unless The Lord Build...
There is quite a lot going on this Sunday. Of course it is Mother’s day; the day we celebrate God’s gift of our mothers. We are also having eight families which will participate in our Parent / child dedication service in the 11am service. And in addition to all that, we will begin our baby bottle project this Sunday to raise money in support of Kansans for Life & Embrace Crisis Pregnancy Center, in order to continue the fight against abortion and to help mothers who may think abortion is their only option. So because of this focus on the family, we will pause our study of Galatians and briefly look at Psalm 127. This is a psalm of ascent, meaning it was sung by those going up to the temple during times of worship. The Psalm is only 5 but it is significant in its application for parents and the family. The first two verses show us that unless the Lord is working, all our labors are in vain, and in the second part, the psalmist applies this principle to the raising of children and the family. Sunday as we celebrate our mothers, and the families committing to raise their children in the Lord, I hope that God’s word will guide us to commit ourselves to preparing the next generation to stand for the gospel in a culture that is continually moving away from the truth of God. This is important even if you don’t have children or your children are grown and have their own families. We will see 8 families committing to raise their children in the Lord and in the fellowship of FBC. Regardless of what season our own family is in, we can invest in making disciples of the next generation.
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Romans 4:18-5:2 Raised For Our Justification
I am so excited to worship with you this coming Resurrection Sunday. Of course, we celebrate the gospel every time we gather, but this is the Sunday the church sets aside to specifically commemorate and revel in what Jesus Christ has done for us. Our Savior is alive and He as given us an eternal resurrection life! Romans 4:25 says, "[Jesus] was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification." So, this Sunday as we gather to worship, I hope to focus our hearts on what it means to be justified before God and how a sinner can be justified. We rightly give much attention to Jesus’ crucifixion when we speak of being justified before God. It is indeed there where the payment for our sin was made. (And we will of course speak much about it Sunday as well.) But the resurrection is also central to our justification. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul says if Christ has not been raised, our faith is futile and we are still in our sins. This Sunday we will talk about how the resurrection of Jesus applies to our justification before God. I hope to preach from Romans 4:18 - 5:2 in order to demonstrate this. I pray that God will use this Sunday to change hearts, draw people to Himself, and to deepen our love for His name.
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Colossians 2:6-15 Walking In Christ
Although we have only completed the first chapter of Galatians, we will pause our study for the next two weeks. On Easter Sunday of course, we will focus on the resurrection and the gospel as we celebrate our risen savior. On Palm Sunday this week, I would like to focus our hearts more fully on what walking in the gospel entails, which is a theme we have seen already in Galatians. Being rooted and grounded in the gospel is the necessary and essential foundation for the maturing Christian life, and the life devoted to Christ’s commission to make disciples. As we drill down into this vitally important truth, I hope to draw our attention to a passage God used personally and powerfully in my life as I struggled to comprehend the growing Christian life - Colossians 2:6-15. I pray the Lord will use this text in your life just as He did in mine as we prepare ourselves for Resurrection Sunday, the transition of the building process, and our larger commission to make disciples of Christ.
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Acts 28:16-31 The Gospel Unhindered
Sunday we come to the end of our study in the book of Acts. It has been quite a journey through the text. In the first chapter, Jesus said His disciples would be witnesses to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. And that is what we have seen. We have followed the mission of His witnesses to all nations. We followed Peter, John, Phillip, Stephen, and Paul. We have seen much opposition to the spread of the gospel and the church. We have seen much hardship, suffering, and persecution of His witnesses, but we have also seen much faithfulness and perseverance as the Holy Spirit empowered them to be what Jesus commanded them to be. But this Sunday, we will come to the end of the story - or more accurately - the end of the beginning of the story.
As we look at the final verses in Acts, we will read an ending that isn’t quite what we are used to in good story-telling. We won’t have all our questions answered about Paul’s life. We won’t have resolution to the conflict we have seen through the last five chapters as Paul has gone from trial to prison to trial again. We won’t see him vindicated by those who oppressed and rejected him. In fact, we will see the same thing happen in Rome that has happened in every city in which Paul witnessed in. - THE SAME THING!
That isn’t the ending we want in the story, but it is the ending we need. Because the same will be true in our mission. This story is not about what happens to the messenger. This story is not about the messenger being vindicated in this life. It is about what Jesus is doing through His witnesses. It is about the gospel going forth to the world. That IS the story! And regardless of what events, cultural changes, political winds, or violent persecution arises, the gospel will continue being proclaimed until Jesus returns in glory. The gospel cannot and will not ever be silenced. To illustrate that point, God has allowed us the joy of baptizing believers in both services this Sunday. I hope you can join us in worshiping the King this Sunday.
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Acts 28:1-15 To The End Of The Earth
Over the next two Sundays, our journey through the book of Acts will come to an end. Yet the book doesn’t close with a final climactic ending. Luke leaves the story unfinished with Paul testifying unhindered in Rome. The story is not finished. Today, the church is still on the same mission begun so long ago by the first disciples. The gospel has gone out from Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and continues to go to the ends of the earth. Chapter 28 picks up after the shipwreck which left Paul and company on an unidentified land. Here we are informed they have landed on the island of Malta, off the coast of Sicily. Paul will spend three months here before setting sail again for Rome. Although Paul’s journey to Rome is stalled, it is not without purpose. Paul finds kind and compassionate people on the island who show hospitality and care to he and his shipmates. God also does miraculous works of healing through Paul for the people of Malta over those three months. The storm and the shipwreck were not without purpose. God has brought Paul to this island because even these kind, friendly, compassionate, and moral people also need the gospel to be saved. The message of Christ is validated here as it was in the Temple of Jerusalem through miraculous signs. God has brought the kingdom promised to Israel all the way out here on the shores of this island. And when Paul finally does get to the vicinity of Rome, the church is there ready to receive him, encourage him, and fellowship with him as God fulfills His promise and Paul makes his way into the city. The church in Rome, established by unnamed and unknown believers, is God’s instrument in the city & comes out to receive this brother in Christ. And here we see that although Luke has focused our attention on the Apostle Paul for much of the book of Acts, the church - together - is the instrument that brings the gospel to the nations.
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Acts 27:27-44 An Anchor In The Storm Part 2
Sunday, we pick up where we left off in Acts 27. This chapter is devoted to the arduous sea voyage of Paul to Rome. Jesus told Paul in Acts 23:22 that Paul was being sent to Rome. But from the beginning of their voyage Paul was at the mercy of the wind and the decisions of others which led them into a violent storm. We saw that God’s promise doesn’t mean an easy journey. But we also saw the anchor which Paul held onto through all the obstacles and trials. He trusted in the promise of God. He told the people on the ship that an angel appeared telling him that he would get to Rome and no life would be lost, only the ship. And Paul tells them that he has faith in God that it will be as he has been told.
As we work through verses 27-44, we will see that God’s promise is also the only peace in the storm. Paul’s actions are opposite from the sailors and soldiers as the ship ultimately wrecks. But the peace that we see in Paul is not often what we think of as a "peaceful" response in the midst of trial. He is not passive, inactive. He does not "let go and let God." He acts with wisdom, with common sense as he prepares the men on the ship for what will be needed. The peace he demonstrates is peace that the promise will come to pass by God’s providence through their actions and decisions. It is a peace that is striving for the goal. And finally we see that God’s promise is always faithful. Even when the soldiers themselves decide to kill all the prisoners and threaten God’s promise that no life will be lost, we see God providentially working all things to fulfill his word. He is able - He is faithful to bring his witnesses all the way home. I hope to see you all this Sunday.
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Acts 27 An Anchor In The Storm (Part 1)
Acts 27 sees the beginning of Paul’s long journey to Rome. After all the trials and the two years of imprisonment, Paul is finally going to Rome just as Jesus promised him in Acts 23:11. It seems that Paul’s mission is no longer "on hold" and he is sailing by the will of God to the place God has ordained him to go. I would think there would be a brief note about the journey and then Luke would pick up telling us how Paul continued to witness in Rome, but that is not what happens here. Quite the opposite. Paul has a promise from Jesus that he will get to Rome, but every leg of this journey is fraught with difficulty from the winds, other people’s bad decisions, and an incredibly powerful and dangerous storm which ultimately shipwrecks the vessel. In fact, the 44 verses of chapter 27 are completely taken up with the difficulty and devastation of this journey. But how can this be? Paul is not Jonah. He is going exactly where God told him to go and doing exactly what God called him to do. As far as Scripture is concerned, Paul is directly in the center of God’s will - he is being faithful to his calling as a witness. And yet, all this suffering and difficulty swirls around every move he makes.
What we find here is that even though Paul bears a promise of God that he will reach his destination safely, it doesn’t mean the journey will be easy. And even when it looks like Paul is at the mercy of the wind, other people’s decisions, and the massive storm, Paul holds to the only anchor that is sure and certain. He holds to the word of God. When everyone else has lost all hope of being saved, Paul can say "I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told." (Acts 27:25)
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1 Corinthians 11:17-34 The Lord's Supper
this Sunday we pause our study of Acts as we take the Lord’s Supper. We observe this ordinance of the church every fifth Sunday, as well as at Christmas and Easter, but it has been some time since we took the time to explain what the supper is and why we observe it. So this Sunday, we will look at 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 as Paul admonishes the Corinthians for their misuse of the Lord’s supper. As he rebukes them, he also explains the proper meaning and warning of the Lord’s supper which will be of much benefit to us as we observe this ordinance Jesus instituted. It is a vital part of the life of the church and the life of every believer.
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Acts 26 Hope On Trial
As we near the end of the book of Acts, we come to a climactic point in the book and in the narrative story of Scripture as Paul gives his defense before King Agrippa. Here before this Jewish King, Paul will finally get to give a full testimony without being interrupted by ridicule or riots. And as we examine the text of Paul’s defense, we find that it isn’t really a defense at all. Paul uses this opportunity to connect his preaching and his message with the promise of God to Israel. He shows us that the reason he has undergone all the trials and tribulations in the last five chapters is because of his "hope in the promise made by God to our fathers." In this speech, we find the thread that connects the whole of Scripture to the preaching and mission given to the church. And we see what it is all about. We see what Paul’s trials are all about, and what God’s big story is all about - It is the hope of resurrection through the Messiah Jesus Christ.
But as Paul weaves his masterful narrative and shows Agrippa all these things, we start to see something else. Toward the end of Paul’s defense, we find that it isn’t Paul who is on trial here. It is King Agrippa himself. Not only is Paul explaining that the Messiah of God has commissioned his preaching in fulfillment of the promise of God, but he is actually engaging in his mission right here as he seeks the salvation of Agrippa and all those listening to him. Not only will we see the importance of our mission to make disciples and how we engage it, but we will receive a clear, concise explanation of the grand storyline of God’s Word and how it all fits together.
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Acts 25 When Trials Go On And On
Sunday as we continue in Acts, we will talk about many things that we have seen before in the previous few chapters. As we saw Paul’s trial before Felix last week, we will see his trial before Festus this week. Acts 25-26 is really one unit, culminating in Paul’s longest speech in Acts as he testifies before King Agrippa, Governor Festus, military tribunes, and the leading men of the city. And through it all we will see God still providentially working to fulfill His word, Paul continuing to answer false accusations with truth, and continuing to be faithful as the witness Jesus has called him to be. In short, he does the same thing we saw him do before in previous chapters. The difference here is that between chapter 24 and 25, Paul has languished in prison for two whole years. Over two years, it seemed that God hadn’t moved. Paul may have felt that God was silent as he could do nothing but wait and hope. And then, when something finally does happen, Paul has to go through the same accusations, the same plots, the same dog and pony show trial as he did two years ago. But even when the trials and sufferings of living for Christ go on and on, when there doesn’t seem to be any break in the tribulations that smash against our lives, we see that God is still working for His purposes and we are still called to be faithful as witnesses commissioned for Him.
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Acts 24 A Faithful Witness On Trial
We are steadily approaching the conclusion of our exposition in the book of Acts. This Sunday we will look at chapter 24 in its entirety. In chapter 23, Paul was sent to the governor in Caesarea for his own protection. A plot to kill him was providentially discovered and the Roman Tribune sent Paul to Felix under the protection of the Roman army. Now in chapter 24 Paul will be tried by Felix. In this chapter we see the first of several trials in which Paul will bear witness. Through them all, as Paul is on his way to Rome, he shows himself faithful to his calling to bear witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. As all faithful witnesses of Christ, Paul is facing lies and false accusations of his beliefs and behavior. But in chapter 24 he shows all believers how to remain faithful to our calling through the persecution and biases of this world. He speaks the truth from a clear conscience toward God and men, taking every opportunity to share the message of the gospel to all people. There is much to learn from this chapter as we ourselves face mounting misinformation in the world about what Christianity is and what the Bible teaches. Because we will have to work quickly to get through all of chapter 24, it will be beneficial for us all to read the chapter before Sunday. I hope to see you there.
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