Bethel Baptist Church Park River

What Does the Church Do? - Discipleship (1/2)

Church Matters. A series on why the church matters and different matters of the church.
Sermon #5 - What Does the Church Do? - Discipleship 
What is a Disciple of Jesus? 

What Does the Church Do? - Discipleship (2/2)

Church Matters. A series on why the church matters and different matters of the church. Sermon #5 - What Does the Church Do? - Discipleship 
In Matthew 28:18-20 ("The Great Commission"), the church is charged to make disciples of Jesus, to disciple in all nations. We do this by spreading the gospel, baptizing, and teaching people about Jesus and his commands. 
Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

What Does the Church Do? - Baptism

Continuing this series 'Church Matters', we come to the topic of Baptism. 
While navigating this topic trying to avoid the ditches on both sides and the over-corrections that can happen, we come to the conclusion that baptism is a significant sign of the real reality new life in Jesus Christ, and it is meant to be applied to believers after converting faith and in the context of the church. 

What Does the Church Do? - The Lord's Supper

Continuing our Church Matters series, we look at the church's practice of the Lord's Supper. What is it? What is it for? How should we participate in it? 
The Lord's Supper nourishes faith and fellowship by reminding the body of Christ  of our salvation through Jesus' body and blood. 
Scriptures referenced:
Matthew 27:17-30,
Exodus 12, J
eremiah 31:31-34,
1 Corinthians 11:17-34,
1 John 3:16-18

Who Leads the Church? - Authority in the Church

Authority. We recoil at the word, especially in our culture. But a rejection of all authority is also a rejection of God's authority. We must aim to reject bad authority, submit to good authority, and step into authority conferred to us by God. As a church we need to understand the authority God has given the congregation and the offices of elder and deacon, and we must exercise that authority under the authority of Jesus, who is the head of the church. 

How Healthy is the Church? - Revelation 2-3

Here towards the end of the Church Matters series, it is worth asking "Are we healthy?" To answer this, or at least move towards an answer to this, we take a look at Revelation 2-3 where Jesus gives 7 churches in Asia Minor a "checkup". What criteria does Jesus use to evaluate these churches and what can we learn about ourselves? 

Bewildering Blessings and Confounding Curses - Luke 6:20-26

Luke 6:20-26
20 “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21   “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.  “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 22   “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. 24   “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 25   “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.  “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26   “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

Jesus is Risen! Jesus is the Christ!

Rather than needing evidence for the resurrection, Peter declares that Jesus is the Christ based on the fact of the resurrection. David foresaw the resurrection of the Christ, and these men in Acts 2 are witnesses to that resurrection. Jesus is risen! Jesus is the Christ! 
 
Acts 2:14   But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17    “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
22   “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,
“‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29   “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’
36   Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

1 John Introduction

Abide in the truth and love of God because Jesus Christ came in the flesh and died for your sins. 
 
The Apostle John encountered false teaching arising in the church and going out to surrounding churches. He addresses the issue in 1 John, declaring the truth of Jesus Christ that was being attacked and urging true believers to have assurance because of their abiding in the truth and love of God. For us, this letter helps us today to know what true Christianity looks like in a world full of people who quickly admit "I'm a Christian," and it helps remind us of the life we are to be living out as those who know God. 

For the Love of God, Listen to John (1John 1:1-4)

The opening of John's gospel lacks a traditional letter opening. Due to the urgency with which he writes, John gets right to the point expressing his authority to speak to these truths about Jesus and his purpose for writing. 
And we should listen up because eternal life and relationship God are at stake. 
Therefore we should honor Scripture's authority, trust this truth, and fight for fellowship. 
1John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

How Can We Walk in the Light? - 1 John 1:5-10

God is light and in him is no darkness at all. 
How then can we, who have sinned and walked in darkness, have a favorable relationship with God? And what are we supposed to do with our guilt and shame as God's light exposes our darkness? This sermon seeks to deepen our relationship with God by showing us the only appropriate way to deal with our guilt and how to walk in the light. 
1John 1:5   This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Take Sin Seriously Because God Loves You - 1 John 2:1-6

1 John 2:1   My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Beloved, Love One Another - 1 John 2:7-11

Beloved, Love One Another as Jesus Loved
because we are commanded to love (1 John 2:7)
because Jesus makes this love possible (1 John 2:8)
because love belongs to the light (1 John 2:9-11)
How do we love?
Define Love
Pray for Love
Obey to Love
Refocus on Love
1John 2:7-11   7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

The Supremacy of Christ Over All (Jarred LeBon)

Rest in the supremacy of Christ over all things.
Colossians 1:15   He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Christian, You Are Saved! - 1 John 2:12-14

 
1 John 2:12    I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.13  I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.  I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.  I write to you, children, because you know the Father.14  I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.  I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.