5K
Downloads
307
Episodes
First Alliance Church Weekly Sermons
Episodes
Monday Dec 23, 2019
Monday Dec 23, 2019
“Making Simeon’s Story Our Story” Luke 2:25-35
One of the people who saw the baby Jesus, but whose participation in the Christmas story is often overlooked, is Simeon. Simeon can teach us a lot about how to make the Christmas story our story, but be warned: much of what he teaches us is shocking. For example:
I First, Simeon teaches us that to make the Christmas story our story we need the ___________ __________ (2:25-27a).
A. First, without the Holy Spirit no one has the s__________ v__________ necessary to see Jesus.
B. Second, Luke tells us it was the Holy Spirit that enabled ___________ to make the Christmas story his story.
C. Third, not only does the Bible and the life of Simeon tell us we need the Holy Spirit to make the Christmas story our story, so also does Charles Dicken’s A C____________ C_____________.
II Second, Simeon teaches us that to make the Christmas story our story, we must be prepared for ____________ (2:27-29).
A. When Simeon saw the baby Mary and Joseph brought to the
temple, he knew two things: God ________ his promise and he could now _______ in peace.
B. When the Christmas story becomes our story it transforms, not just our present, but the _______ moment of our life.
III Third, Simeon teaches us that to make the Christmas story our story, we must be concerned about more than just _________ ____________.
A. When Simeon sees Jesus, his vision is _____________.
B. We can’t make the Christmas story our story until we realize that we have a ______________ mission to tell all about the Christ of Christmas.
IV Fourth, Simeon teaches us that to make the Christmas story our story, we must be willing to be the cause of ______________ (2:33-35).
A. Simeon paid attention to the Old Testament prophets – he knew not everyone would accept the _______________.
B. In Romans 9 Paul says many in Israel stumbled over Jesus because they believed they could achieve their own personal righteousness by keeping the________.
Tuesday Dec 17, 2019
Wednesday Dec 11, 2019
Wednesday Dec 11, 2019
“Making Mary’s Story Our Story” Luke 1:26-2:7
Of all the characters who played a part in the birth of the Savior, there is none who seems as unapproachable as Mary. Women have a hard time relating to a woman who gave birth knowing there was no human father she could blame for her pain. Men feel some sympathy for Joseph but we have no idea how to comprehend Mary. And then we Protestants feel estranged from Mary because the Roman Catholic Church has almost deified her. But all this misses the point. Next to Jesus there is no one so pivotal to the Christmas story as Mary, and if we want to know how to make the Christmas story our story, we dare not overlook her.
I First, Mary teaches us that no matter how ___________ it may be, it is ____________ to live out the Christmas story in our daily lives (1:26-37).
A. Why did the Savior have to be ______ as well as _________? Because no human being has a __________ for the problem of sin.
B. Why was it necessary for the Savior to be a _________ _________ at all? Because justice can only be done when wrongdoing is ____________ and God could not take our punishment.
II Second, Mary teaches us that just because it is _____________ to live out the Christmas story does not mean it will be ____________ (1:38).
A. When Mary and Joseph answered God’s call, people didn’t a_________ them – they ____________ at them.
B. God doesn’t call us to live a b________ or m__________ life. He calls us to an e___________ life on the cutting edge of his Kingdom.
III Third, Mary teaches us that living out the Christmas story will have an impact ______ _______________ ourselves (1:46-55).
IV Fourth, Mary teaches us that living out the Christmas story is not something we are expected to do ____________ (2:1-5).
A. Mary was impregnated by the Holy Spirit so her child would be the God-man. Why, then is __________ necessary?
B. God wanted his plan to save the world to be carried out, not by a single i_________________, but by a f___________.
V Fifth, Mary teaches us that living out the Christmas story is not going to __________________ the world (2:6-7).
Tuesday Dec 03, 2019
Tuesday Dec 03, 2019
“Making the Shepherd’s Story Our Story” Luke 2:8-18
Sometimes when we recall the Christmas story we feel detached, as if we are on the outside looking in. This year we want the story of the birth of the Savior to be our story. We intend to do this by entering the story of those who were literally part of that first Christmas. Today we want to make the shepherd’s story our story. How do we do that?
I First, for the shepherd’s story to be our story, we need to see how much the shepherd’s story __________ our story (2:8).
A. From the beginning of the Bible the calling to be a shepherd was highly r______________ and shepherds were looked on in a p__________ way.
B. But by Jesus’ day things had changed – shepherds were looked on with s_____________ and d____________.
II Second, for the shepherd’s story to be our story, we need to know that we can never be ________ ______________ to please God (2:9-11, 13).
A. The irreligious shepherds got a special announcement about the birth of the Savior, but the good religious folks got ___________.
B. The most radical fact about the Christmas story is this: If you are not a _____________, Christmas has nothing to offer you.
III Third, for the shepherd’s story to be our story, we must be willing to ______ where the truth can be ____________ (2:12-15).
A. Because there are genuine Christians sprinkled throughout the U.S., most people know something about Jesus being the _____________.
B. If you want to know about the Savior, who he is and how he can change your life, you must look for him in the _____________ ___________ of _________.
IV Finally, for the shepherd’s story to be our story, we must not only ___________ what they believed, we must _________ as they lived.
A. After the shepherds found the Savior they were still shepherds, but they were not __________ shepherds.
B. Now, they are also doing the work of _____________.
Tuesday Nov 26, 2019
Tuesday Nov 19, 2019
Tuesday Nov 19, 2019
“Wisdom is Fabulous!” (Pt 3)
Proverbs 3:27-35
People seek many things in our world today, but very few seem to be seeking wisdom. This is why the author of Proverbs wants us to know just how fabulous wisdom is.
I First, wisdom is worth the effort and we should seek it with all our heart (3:13-18).
II Second, wisdom is so good that even God uses it (3:19-20).
III Third, wisdom can guard our life (3:21-26).
IV Fourth, wisdom is d____________. Here Solomon gives us four principles that we can follow to put wisdom to _______ in our lives today:
A. Principle #1: Do ________ to people _____________ you can (3:27-28).
-But there are ______ conditions:
1. First, “do not withhold good from those who d___________ it.
2. Second, “do not withhold good when it is in your _________ to act.”
B. Principle #2: Do not b___________ the one who t_________ you (3:29-30).
1. A better translation is: “Don’t devise _________ against someone who lives in __________ with you.”
2. Not only should we be careful not to h__________ those who trust us, but we should not f___________ accuse anyone of hurting us.
C. Principle #3: Do not envy those who get what they want by unethical means (3:31-32).
1. “Don’t envy them,” Solomon says, “because even if they get what they want, they won’t k_________ it for l_______.”
2. People who cheat, steal, lie, and use violence to get what they want make God ___________.
D. Principle #4: S_______ wisdom and do not act like a __________ (3:33-35).
1. First contrast: “The Lord’s c_______ is on the house of the wicked, but he b_________ the home of the righteous” (3:33).
2. Second contrast: “He _______ proud mockers, but gives _______ to the humble” (3:34).
3. Third contrast: “The wise inherit h__________, but fools he holds up to s__________” (3:35).
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
Wednesday Nov 13, 2019
Truths from Jeremiah, Chapter 2
“Living Water vs. Broken Cisterns”
Chapter one of Jeremiah describes his call as an individual to serve the Lord. Then, in chapter 2, we see a clear call to repentance of a people, the people of Israel. It is a touching chapter of God’s love, and the consequences of the self-centeredness of a people. It is also a profound check list of warnings that we must take to heart as individuals, as the church, and as a nation.
In verses 1-3, God is talking about our first l_____ .
Verses 5-8 tells us they became s_________ and found f____ with God.
The crux of the whole chapter and even most of the book of Jeremiah, is in verse 13. “My people have committed two sins: they have forsaken me, the spring of l , and have dug their own c_________, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
God, as the H_______ S__________, is the Living Water.
Sins, decisions to do what we want in the way we want instead of God’s way, are like a h__________ that breaks the cistern.
Hosea 9:10b says we become v________ as the things we love. I______ are the things we love more than God. What is it that we l_________ ?
With relatively few exceptions, problems and their consequences are o____ f_________ .
Here is a check list for how well we are doing in keeping our cisterns full and flowing with the living water.
1. Are you still in awe of God?
2. Are you still fully yoked with Jesus?
3. Are you honest with God or making excuses for your actions?
4. Are you forgetting or ignoring the lessons God has taught through past punishments or consequences?
5. Do you feel free to roam, to dabble, to sample the world’s offerings?
What is your choice today?
Tuesday Nov 05, 2019
Tuesday Nov 05, 2019
“Our City, Our Calling” Jeremiah 29:1-14
Is there a Scripture text which speaks specifically to us about our calling at FAC? That is what I have been looking for, and I believe the Lord has provided it in these words of Jeremiah.
I What is happening here in the twenty-ninth chapter of the prophetic book of Jeremiah? The leaders of the Jews have been ___________ to Babylon (29:1).
II In his letter, Jeremiah makes ________ points:
A. First, God’s people are called to the p__________, p_________, s___________ city (29:4-9).
1. We are just like the Judeans in Jeremiah’s day – the New Testament calls Christians, “_____________.”
2. God says, “I want you in this strange city because I can d____________ and r___________ your faith here, and you can do __________ to the people of this city.
B. Second, God’s people must offer an a____________ to the v__________ of this city (29:10-14).
1. God says he banished them, not to _____________ them, but to give them a chance to decide what is truly ____________ to them.
2. When we wake up and find that we are in Babylon, there are three things that we can do:
a. We can give our ___________ to Babylon.
b. We can build a _____________ and never allow ourselves to become a ________ of this city.
c. We can live in Babylon in such a way as to bring the ___________ of ______ to this city.
C. Third, God’s people must ________ and ________ for the city.
-We are to pray, not only that people will _________ Jesus, but that they would be whole in their mind, body, career, relationships, finances - in ________ way.
III This is where we live. This is where ______ put us. This is our _____________.
Tuesday Oct 29, 2019
Tuesday Oct 29, 2019
“Wisdom is Fabulous!” (Pt 2) Proverbs 3:19-26
People seek many things in our world today, but very few seem to be seeking wisdom. Perhaps this is because they are afraid wisdom might interfere with their selfish plans, or it may be because people have no idea how wonderful God’s wisdom is. In any case, the author of Proverbs wants us to know just how fabulous wisdom is.
I Wisdom is worth the e________________ and we should seek it with _______ our heart (3:13).
II Wisdom is so good that even ______ uses it (3:19-20).
A. The greatest p_________ of wisdom’s v_________ is that God himself makes use of it.
B. The understanding God used in creating the universe includes two types of k________-h_____:
1. There is the know-how that is focused on r________________.
2. There is the know-how that is needed to b_______ something.
III Wisdom can g__________ our life (3:21-26).
A. Solomon says sound judgement and discernment are so important to life that we must make sure we k_______ our e______ on them.
B. Why? Because the world has a way of h__________ them from us.
C. Wisdom can guard our life in _______ ways:
1. First, wisdom protects our s_________ (3:22)
2. Second, wisdom keeps us s________ (3:23).
3. Third, wisdom helps us s__________ (3:24)
4. Fourth, wisdom eases our s___________ (3:25).
5. Fifth, wisdom gives us s____________ (3:26).
Thursday Oct 17, 2019
Thursday Oct 17, 2019
“Wisdom is Fabulous!” Proverbs 3:13-18
People seek many things in our world today, but very few seem to be seeking wisdom. Perhaps this is because they are afraid wisdom might interfere with their selfish plans, or it may be because people have no idea how wonderful God’s wisdom is. In any case, the author of Proverbs wants us to know just how fabulous wisdom is.
I In his introduction to wisdom, Solomon makes _______ major points.
A. First, wisdom has ___________ ____________ (3:13-18).
B. Solomon gives us ______ reasons why we should want wisdom with all our heart.
II First, wisdom is __________ the ___________ (3:13).
A. From the start we need to understand that living as a wise person requires __________________.
B. It took gut-wrenching discipline on Solomon’s part to ask for what he knew would benefit _____________, rather than ____________.
III Second, wisdom is p__________________ (3:14)
A. Silver and gold have value, but they will never earn as much in the f_______________ as wisdom will.
B. Wisdom has the potential to provide ________________the things we cannot know _____________ that we will need tomorrow.
IV Third, wisdom is greater than anything we can _______________ (3:15).
V Fourth, wisdom gives the best ______________ (3:16).
A. Wisdom knows how to use riches in an h_________________ way.
B. Wisdom can fill life, even long life, with _________________.
VI Fifth, wisdom gives real _______________ (3:17).
VII Sixth, wisdom gives _______________ life (3:18).
-Just as Solomon began by saying that wisdom is something we must seek, so he ends by telling us again that wisdom must be e_____ _____.