Category Archives: Sermon Notes
Sermon Notes | Scripture
Meat and Potatoes | Scripture
Next week. We will talk about Sharing our Faith.
We are going to pick up where we left off last week. The whole concept of last week asked the question, “When you pray, why does God listen to you?” Is it because you have a business relationship with him or a family relationship with him?
Today, we will read a prayer from a man who got it right. He was a man after God’s own heart. DAVID. David understood the power of God, the Grace of God, and the Kingdom of God.
Today we will read his prayer in Psalm 119. Turn there with me.
In this Psalm, he expresses the POWER of God’s Word. There are basically 3 ways in which he discusses the influence of God’s word in His life:
His Word Gives us DIRECTION
Look at this stage. It is filled with clutter and obstacles. I think most would agree that our life’s path is very similar to this obstacle course and we have to find our way through the maze of life.
HOWEVER, life is not really like the way you see it here. It is actually like this.
**BLACKOUT LIGHTS**
105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
29 Keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your instructions.
How do we know his Instructions? READ HIS WORD
37 Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.
39 Help me abandon my shameful ways; for your regulations are good.
67 I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word.
How do we closely follow his Word? READ HIS WORD
74 May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in your word.
98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide.
How do we become wiser? READ HIS WORD
101 I have refused to walk on any evil path, so that I may remain obedient to your word.
104 Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life. How do we have understanding? READ HIS WORD
We know what way is false and what way is right when we READ HIS WORD.
133 Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil.
165 Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble.
How do I have great peace and not stumble? READ HIS WORD
**BRING LIGHTS UP to normal**
His Word Brings Us DELIVERANCE
25 I lie in the dust; revive me by your word.
28 I weep with sorrow; encourage me by your word.
40 I long to obey your commandments! Renew my life with your goodness.
Revive! Encourage! Renew! How do these come? READ HIS WORD
43 Do not snatch your word of truth from me, for your regulations are my only hope.
45 I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments.
David’s heart is passionate for the structure and boundaries of God. A heart of a son who understands that discipline and regulations are purposed filled
50 Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.
61 Evil people try to drag me into sin, but I am firmly anchored to your instructions.
69 Arrogant people smear me with lies, but in truth I obey your commandments with all my heart.
81 I am worn out waiting for your rescue, but I have put my hope in your word.
87 They almost finished me off, but I refused to abandon your commandments.
Freedom from the mess of other people! How do we find our hope and freedom? READ HIS WORD
92 If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy, I would have died in my misery.
93 I will never forget your commandments, for by them you give me life.
How do we find joy and life? READ HIS WORD
109 My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions. You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.
143 As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands.
149 In your faithful love, O Lord , hear my cry; let me be revived by following your regulations.
153 Look upon my suffering and rescue me, for I have not forgotten your instructions.
How do we not forget his instructions? READ HIS WORD
161 Powerful people harass me without cause, but my heart trembles only at your word.
His Word Expresses Our WORSHIP
7 As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should!
Our lives RESPOND in a heart of gratitude. WE are motivated by HIS love!
How do we know how to respond to God’s love? READ HIS WORD
131 I pant with expectation, longing for your commands.
148 I stay awake through the night, thinking about your promise.
How do we know His Promise? READ HIS WORD
151 But you are near, O Lord , and all your commands are true.
175 Let me live so I can praise you, and may your regulations help me.
If you are brand new to Christianity or simply exploring start with John, then read Luke and Acts.
Once you have met Jesus and are getting a picture of who He is, go back and read the Bible from Genesis. (English Standard Version or New International Version)
Those who have been around for a long time, choose a new translation and read whole Bible through or go slow and read segments (History, Prophets, Gospels, Epistles).
Highlight and take notes every time you are touched.
Sermon Notes | Prayer
Matthew 6:5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the heathen (pagans) do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Jesus says here that there is a Pagan way and Christian way.
Pagan seems to be irreligious. Actually, he is talking about people that ARE religious.
He is saying that the real difference is not the religious from the irreligious, but those religious and the Christians.
Jesus presents 2 different bases on going to God. A right way and a wrong way.
Let me ask you a question to really kick start this thing:
When you pray, why should God listen to you?
Pagans/Religious folks think one thing and authentic Christians think a different thing.
When you approach anyone, you have preconceived ideas about how they relate to you. You approach your boss differently than your best friend. You approach your professor differently than your boyfriend.
Intuitively, your approach affects the way you ask and the way you interact.
At bus stop, you can ask: Where is the bus to Post Rd? Within our American culture there is appropriate asking realm. Time, directions, maybe loose change. However, you can not ask for their backpack or purse. There is no basis for this deep level of ‘ask’. You have no relationship equity to make that deep of a request.
Jesus is showing us that fundamentally there are 2 basic ways to approach God.
- In a Business relationship, the basis is performance. You perform for me and I perform for you.
- In a family relationship, the basis is a commitment. A permanent, committed relationship.
In a Business Relationship – I have something for you
In a Family Relationship – I am something to you
There are 2 ways to live in someone’s house:
- A boarder
- A Family member
When you are a boarder, you can have a good relationship with your landlord as long as you pay the rent and they keep maintaining the house. As long as you respect the rules with each other.
The exchange with each other is a MECHANICAL one of goods and services. A business relationship.
A business relationship is a conditional one. A family relationship is unconditional. Business relationships are based on what you have and performance.
Living with your parents is completely different. Family has to do with who I am.
In business, it is if you perform, then you will be accepted. A family dynamic should be: Since I am excepted, then I will perform.
Jesus was addressing two types of people IN THE CHURCH.
Jesus says that you can approach God on a business basis or a family relationship.
You will heap up empty phrases or babble if they are coming from a business relationship.
Empty means anxious.
Meat and Potatoes today. Let’s make it simple. We want to approach God as, “Our Father.”
He wants to have a family relationship with us! He wants to be approached as Father.
So how do you know if you are a pagan or a Christian when you pray?
What is the atmosphere of your prayer time? Do you constantly frame your prayers with boarder or family lingo?
Another great way:
What happens when your prayers aren’t answered?
If you are pagan, when they are not answered, you will either be cold or anxious.
COLD: ”I have been paying the rent and I deserve from you.”
ANXIOUS: “I haven’t been paying the rent and so I do not deserve to have my prayers answered.”
“God is not coming through and I have been doing my part.”
OR “I guess I have not been doing my part.”
In either case, you are proving that you are a boarder and not a child.
A Pagan relationship with God is a business one. You have duties. He has duties.
A Christian comes into the relationship saying ‘You lived the life I want to live. You accept and adopt me not based on my performance, but for your love.’
We are not talking about eloquence or articulation, both could be these.
Pagan: Babbling, cold, impersonal, no fullness, not personal, guilty
Christian: Warm, personal, confident, humble
Jesus doesn’t start the prayer with “Our King…” though he is.
He doesn’t start the prayer with “Our Creator…” though he is.
He doesn’t start the prayer with “Our friend…” though he is….
Friendship is wedged between business and family.
The powerful institution of family created by God is proven in the brokenness of families today.
There is something about families that even in those difficulties something sticks closer.
She is still my sister, he is still my son, she is still my mother, …
Jesus is saying in these verses that our identity as God’s kids is the essence of being a Christian.
John 1:10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. 11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
Authority to become children. You have been adopted!
Adopted, given the rights as a child of God. If you don’t understand that concept, you don’t understand Christianity at all.
Adoption is not from the efforts of the child. It is an act of the father! Adoption is not an act of behavior.
When you adopt an unruly child the behavior may change over time, but it doesn’t happen immediately. What does happen immediately is a STATUS change.
It is a legal change. What does that mean? The father legally adopts the child. You are here whether you misbehave or not.
The FATHER says, “I promise to regard you with all the commitment and praise as I would my own biological child. “
John 17: 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
Even as the father loves Jesus… EVEN AS… God would love us as much as he loves himself. By legal action, you cross over from being a non person to being a child of God. God is committed to you as adopted sons and daughter.
Do you understand that?
“that’s too easy…” That means you are a boarder and not a child.
If you say, “that is too simple, I have to work for it…” that means you are a boarder.
Christians accept this position by faith.
Many move from being irreligious to being a Christian.
BUT many in here today are moving from being religious to being a Christian.
In other words, you had a system to get to God or finally earn his attention and pay the rent for an answered prayer.
MOVE TO BEING A CHILD OF GOD. You are accepted.
He died the death I should have died. He lived the life I always wanted to live. I trust in the son of God, Jesus Christ. Upon his death and life, I base everything. That is what a Christian is.
If you understand that, then
Start your prayer with the doctrine of adoption. That is the fire that fuels access into the presence of God.
He is committed to you. Every time you deal with God, saturate yourself with the thought that you are God’s kid. He loves you and wants to talk to you! Rejoice in it!
Think about it, every time you have received the power of his Holy Spirit it wasn’t because you marched into church and said, “This week I nailed it! I deserve a dose of God…bring it on!”
NO! it was when you humbly said, WOW you love and accept me even though I don’t deserve it.”
Many in here today might be longing to be with the love of God. You have a drought that needs to be filled. OR you long for the power of God to make something in your life live again.
Instead of trying to figure out how to make your business relationship with God balance, REST in the adoption of God!
1 John 3:1See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!
How Great is the love of the Father…. Great- from what country does the love of God come? A Christian is someone who finds the love of God off the scale amazing. There is a spirit of wonder!
A Christian is someone who says ‘it’s a miracle that I am a Christian’.
Praise and worship is unnatural for a boarder. A boarder can go in with a list of things that are needed and as soon as the list is done, you are done. Boarders are unable to worship, because there is nothing to worship. The reason why is because you have felt you deserve what you are getting.
Christians understand it is a free gift (thankful).
Boarders say ‘I’m moral, I work hard, I deserve this miracle..’
When a Christian receives a miracle, they say, “incredible, why would he do such a thing!?”
When you ask a boarder if they are a Christian, they will say, “sure! Of course!”
When you ask a Christian if they are a Christian there is no ‘of courseness’ about it. They will say, “it is incredible, but it is true! It is a miracle but it is true!” Behold it is true.
When you have worked hard all week and you get a paycheck at the end of the week, you don’t say, “behold, it is a miracle! My paycheck!”. You say, “of course, I worked for it.” If you are not continually in an attitude of praise, then you are a boarder.
Another way to see the difference between a boarder and a child is through repentance.
Boarders repent of their sins, but not their righteousness.
Christians do. That is the difference. Christians know even their best deeds are not enough. Boarders believe ‘their best’ is pay towards their relationship!
There is wonder about the LOVE of God. The adoption of all us
We find healing in our hearts when we lean to God as Father.
Don’t be like a pagan because you think you will be heard because of your babbling and repetitive talk.
Instead, pray: OUR FATHER…
Sermon Notes | Blessed Life week 3
Blessed Life | Week 3
Have you heard week one or two’s message?
As a believer, we do not wander around or even try really hard to determine God’s plan for giving. The Bible is FULL of passages on generosity and giving to GOD first and the best.
Genesis 4:4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,
Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, …
When God didn’t accept Cain’s offering, he said, “everything will be ok, if you simply follow directions. If not, sin is crouching at your door.”
Genesis 14:9 And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he (Abraham) gave him a tithe of all.
This is first record of someone giving a tenth AND giving to another entity representing God.
Genesis 22:2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
Exodus 34:19 All that open the womb are Mine, and every male firstborn among your livestock, whether ox or sheep.
Exodus 34:26 The first of the first fruits of your land you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God.
Joshua 6:19 But all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the Lord; they shall come into the treasury of the Lord.”
1 Kings 19:13 And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son.
Malachi 3:8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
(that’s all the Old Testament)
You don’t have to give financially to be saved, therefore, should you just give what is in your heart?
Loving God without giving to God is like being married without sacrificing for your spouse. If you were told by your spouse I will never divorce you. I love you and give myself to you 100%. I will never leave you or go after another. Do we answer that with: “AWESOME- that means I don’t have to be faithful! Sweet, I can do whatever I want!” NO.
What would happen if you were saved by the Mercy and Grace of God? What would happen to your possessions/finances? The Bible tells us:
Acts 2:41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
Believers in Jesus understood that HE was in control and that all their possessions were His. They selflessly gave to the body (storehouse) so that there would be “food in His house” as Malachi 3 said. Tithing was now not a legal obligation. They did not consider 10% to be too much. In fact, they not only gave of their “increase”, but sold possessions and gave all.
When looking at the modern day church in America, we people struggling to give anything to the storehouse. They are so wrapped up in their possessions and earnings that they either feel the possessions are not God’s or they are scared that He won’t provide. They don’t trust him. Instead of following scripture’s very clear message: Trust God and have an open hand to the storehouse and those in need, they try to rewrite scripture to fit their lack of trust in God’s all sufficiency.
How the storehouse (local church) stewards over God’s money is a completely different message and could be addressed later. Obviously, there needs to be accountability and Biblical standards in this area as well.
Sermon Notes | Blessed Life Week 2
Blessed Life | Week 2
Turn to: Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13
Last Sunday, we saw Zacchaeus go from a broken life to a blessed life when he encountered Jesus. He immediately begin to reflect Jesus. He obeyed out of the tenderness of his heart!
We keep on Talking about the BLESSED LIFE this week with:
“Breaking the Spirit of Mammon”
Matthew 6:24 NO ONE… (not 1 person) can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Mammon is the only thing that God says you can not serve alongside of Him.
What is mammon?
(not English or Greek) – Mammon is an Aramaic word meaning riches.
It might be “money” in your translation of the Bible. Which is not a far off word.
But, Jesus frames the word to mean something much deeper than simply money. He makes it sound like something more of a god or a spirit of riches.
Many believe mammon came from the Syrian God of Riches which can be traced to Babylon and the tower of Babel. Mammon represents a prideful, self-made, arrogant spirit of man that says we don’t need God. We can do it on our own.
The spirit of Mammon came from here. Mammon is a spirit. Jesus was referencing this Syrian False God of riches.
Mammon is a spirit that rests on money. All money has a spirit on it. It either has the spirit of Mammon on it. Or the Spirit of God. Jesus said that you can not serve God and mammon.
Let me say it another way:
All your possessions are identifying with the God of all sufficiency or the god of self sufficiency.
The BROKEN LIFE is one where you are constantly in charge and stressed about whether you are going to make it or not
The BLESSED LIFE is one where you are confident that God is in control.
Trying to serve God and Mammon is like putting one foot a boat and keeping one foot on the dock and trying to go somewhere on the boat. The dock (self sufficiency) won’t take you any where, and the only way the boat can is for your to get all the way in!
The BLESSED LIFE requires you to get in the boat all the way and completely rely on God, meaning that you will not rely on your own self-sufficiency!
So…How Do you Break the Spirit of Mammon?
How do make sure that you are not self sufficient but instead relying on the sovereignty of God?
Sermon Notes | Blessed Life Week 1
BLESSED LIFE | Week 1
Luke 19:1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.
Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector. Extortionist. Mob leader. Corrupt.
3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. (he kept pressing in and wouldn’t let anything get in his way) 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.”
6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him,“Today salvation has come to this house (why? Because JESUS came to His house. Start seeing Salvation as Jesus [person] instead of a process) since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Jesus looked up at Zacchaeus and said, “I want to hang out with you. Let’s go eat at your house.” Jesus connects with him and when he connects with Jesus, he was…changed, transformed, converted, saved. When he connects with Jesus(Salvation), he becomes like Jesus. He becomes a giver.
Zacchaeus instantly went from being a man who acquired resources from others to be blessed to being a man who gave to be blessed. He begin to LIVE out what Jesus said:
Acts 20:35… remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Give: “Freely transfer the possession of”
Blessed: Makarios (MakaDeous): “fortunate circumstances or happy”
Receive: “Receive or Take”
The Blessed Life occurs when you encounter Jesus and become like Him. (a hint: it’s a lot different than the world around you.)
When your heart freely transfers the possession of instead of being preoccupied with the acquisition or hoarding of… We are most like God when we give.
Zacchaeus’ repentance is revealed in 2 ways: ACTION AND ATTITUDE When you encounter SALVATION (Jesus) Your life bears fruit!
Luke 19: 9 And Jesus said to him,“Today salvation has come to this house since he also is a son of Abraham.
Zacchaeus was not referenced as a ‘son of Abraham’ because of his physical bloodline. He was referenced as a son of Abraham because his repentence bore fruit. Jesus said in Luke 3:8, “Don’t call yourself a son of Abraham just because you are in the Jewish bloodline. Instead, bear fruit of repentence.”
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Obviously, Zacchaeus’ bloodline did not save him, because Jesus said he came to SAVE him (lost).
ACTION – half of my goods to the poor. Half of everything I own!
ATTITUDE – If I have done anyone wrong, I will restore 4 fold.
The ACTION of Giving-
You have to have a subject and a verb to form a complete sentence. You can have an exclamatory sentence with one word, but with a complete one it must contain a subject and a verb (examples)
If you boil the bible down to a subject and a verb.
Subject: God (beings and ends with God)
Action: Give (giving, give, gave) Love is a part of this verb: give
“For God so love the world that he Gave…”
We are here today because God gave his Son. WE are here today because Jesus gave his life on the cross. WE are here today because we Gave our lives to god. We are here today because we Gave our day to God.
Marriage is all about giving. If you don’t believe that….just get married and you find out.
Not just money, but energy, life
Matthew 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Treasure doesn’t follow heart. Heart follows treasure.
If you would like for your heart to be in the kingdom, then put your treasure there. I want my heart in missions, then put your treasure there.
If you put your money in a certain stock, then you start going online and looking at that stock. You want to know how it is doing.
When you have a desire for the things of God and you want your heart to reside there, then you put your treasure there FIRST!
Our heart follows our treasure.
Jesus deals with our greed and our anxiety over basic necessities. Greed and anxiety over basic necessities display a lack of trust in the Father and a lack of eternal perspective. #BlessedLifeSM
Illustration- you are going to move to another part of the country and you will live there for the rest of your life and when the moving company comes to get your nice furniture, you say, “no, I might need that here. Don’t take it.” They reply, “but aren’t you leaving next week to go to your new home.” You respond, “yeah, but I might need this until I leave.”
Wouldn’t it be better to forego a bit of pleasure in the meantime and invest in eternity?
That is called maturity. When we forego/wait on something now and hopes of future reward.
We mature in the gospel when we invest in eternity.
Zacchaeus gets a heaven perspective and immediately starts giving!
The ATTITUDE of Giving
Luke 19:6 he received Jesus joyfully!
Matthew 10:8 Freely you have received, freely you give.
Look Lord! Look, I want to do this!! He is joyful. He gives freely and joyful because he received freely and joyful.
If you struggle in the area of giving (AND WE ALL DO AT ONE TIME OR THE OTHER), I want to help you.
- If you struggle in the area of giving, then you really have a struggle in receiving.
- If you have a struggle in giving joyfully, then you have a struggle in receiving joyfully.
- If you have a difficulty in giving freely, then you have a difficulty in receiving freely.
When we are raised in a legalistic church background, we believe we have stayed out of hell by not doing bad things and so we feel like we have to hold onto it really tight.
If you are raised with the American Dream, then you feel like you have worked hard to earn it all and you feel the need to control and hold on to it.
We aren’t against working hard. That is good stewardship. Even if we work hard, it is still God’s growth. It is the blessings of God that makes it work regardless of your hard work.
How do you give freely? How do you give joyfully?
Because we have received so freely. GRACE. We have been so set free! We haven’t really understood the grace of God.
If you have a difficulty of receiving freely the
We want everyone at PromiseLand San Marcos to live the HAPPY life. They Joy Filled life. It starts with God making a move and filling us with His love, changing our life then we get the opportunity to RESPOND with our ACTION and ATTITUDE.
Robin Steele 