Sermon Notes January 12, 2025
What About the One Praying? “Prayer that is Powerful & Effective”
James 5:16b-18, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.”
1.Positional rightness: Jesus followers are those who have experienced God’s once-for-all ___________________through their acceptance of what Christ did for them by dying on the cross.
See John 13:1-12a
- Relational righteousness: Once we are in a saving relationship with God through Jesus, all we need is the __________, ongoing application of Jesus’ death on our behalf.
- Being relationally right with God has to do with our ________ ______________________________.
Isaiah 59:2, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”
- Because unconfessed, unrepentant sin _________________ our communion with God.
See Psalm 66:17-18; Proverbs 28:9; Isaiah 1:15-17
- We must also seek to be ____________________________.
Matthew 5:23-24 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”
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Sermon Notes January 05, 2025
Praying With Intensity “Prayer That is Powerful and Effective”
James 5:16-18, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.”
See Mark 9:14-29
- The big lesson: they needed to pray with _______________.
- It means to pray with ______________________________.
- To pray intensely or earnestly suggests not only the quality of the prayer, but the _______________________________ of it.
- To pray intensely also means that we pray with ___________.
Mark 9:29, “Jesus replied, ‘This kind can come out only by prayer.’”
- It means you do not expect anything to happen in your own ____________________________.
James 4:2, “…You do not have because you do not ask God.”
- My question for you is: ____________ have you asked God?
Jeremiah 17:5, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.’”
Zechariah 4:6, “So He said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.’”
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Sermon Notes December 29,2024
Where to Start “Prayer that is Powerful and Effective”
James 5:16, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
See Acts 12:1-19
Acts 12:5, “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.”
- Remember, prayer is a _________________________.
- God has decided to have our ______________________ with Him __________________ into His decision – making process.
Three Things Happen in Prayer
(1) When you talk to God, He _____________________.
1John 5:14, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God; that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
(2) When you talk to God, God ____________________.
1st Peter 5:7 (LB), “Let God have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.”
(3) When you talk to God, God ____________________.
- God promises to answer ___________________. But ________ He chooses to answer them is another matter.
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Sermon Notes December 22, 2024
“About His Birth” The Christmas Story You Thought You Knew
Isaiah 53:2, “He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to Him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire Him.”
Luke 2:1-12, “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’”
A Picture of God
- God is _________________________.
See Philippians 2:6-8
- God is _________________________.
- God favors the __________________.
- God is _________________________.
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Sermon Notes December 15, 2024
“About His Reception” The Christmas Story You Thought You Knew
Matthew 2:1-3, “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, ‘Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star when it rose and have come to worship Him.’ 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.”
Matthew 2:4-9,12-13,16, “ When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written: “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the Shepherd of My people Israel.”’ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the Child. As soon as you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.’ 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was…. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. 13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ he said, ‘take the Child and His mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.’… When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.”
- Jesus threatened his ________________________________.
- Jesus threatened his ________________________________.
- Jesus threatened his ________________________________.
Matthew 2:9-11, “After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
- The Magi _______________________________ Him.
- The Magi gave _________________________ to Him
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Sermon Notes December 08, 2024
“About His Parents” The Christmas Story You Thought You Knew
Luke 1:26-27 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
1.Mary was a ___________________________.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 (RSV) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Imman′u-el.
Luke 2:22-24 And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
- “Chronas” referred to ______________________________.
- “Kairos” has to do with the _________________________.
Ephesians 5:15-16 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil.
Luke 1:38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
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Sermon Notes November 24, 2024
“Making Generosity Possible”
- Gratitude is the power behind _________________ that’s truly from the heart..
- How would YOU respond to this question : “Generosity is always _____________________________.”
- Every single person here, right now, has been on the _________________________ of the ridiculous gifts from God.
Luke 17:11-19 (Msg), “It happened that as He made His way toward Jerusalem, He crossed over the border between Samaria and Galilee. As He entered a village, ten men, all lepers, met Him. They kept their distance but raised their voices, calling out, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’14-16 Taking a good look at them, He said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ They went, and while still on their way, became clean. One of them, when he realized that he was healed, turned around and came back, shouting his gratitude, glorifying God. He kneeled at Jesus’ feet, so grateful. He couldn’t thank Him enough—and he was a Samaritan.17-19 Jesus said, ‘Were not ten healed? Where are the nine? Can none be found to come back and give glory to God except this outsider?’ Then He said to him, ‘Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you.’”
- Having faith ______ God is not the same as being grateful ——————— God.
Deuteronomy 8:17-18 (NIV), “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms His covenant, which He swore to your ancestors, as it is today.
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Sermon Notes November 17,2024
Going Off to War “The Waking Dead”
- Philip Yancey’s four questions:
Ephesians 2:1-3, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.”
2 Samuel 11:1-3, “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, ‘She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.’”
- Kings tended to issues related to ________________ of the Kingdom during the spring because of the weather during the winter months.
- David wasn’t doing what he was ____________ to be doing.
- You are either on ________________ of doing something with your life for God, or you’re not.
Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
What Can I Do? Donate Your Time
- “Ring the Bell” for the Salvation Army during the Holiday season. Contact:
Salvation Army 8225 Calumet Ave. Munster, IN 46322 #219-838-0380
- Volunteer for the Red Cross… Check out their website:
Redcross.org. For additional info see Marilyn Skertic.
- Volunteer for “Inner Mission”. A ministry of The Gate Church
In Hammond. Ministering to the less fortunate people in the
greater Hammond Area. Community Meal, every Saturday.
See: Nancy Mantel for more information.
- Deliver food for Meals on Wheels, Check out their website
MOWNWI.ORG #219-756-3664, or talk to Linda Smith &
Burch Magnussen for more information.
- Help at St. James Food Pantry… Chief operating Officer, Ed
Rosinski #219-924-4220 ext.6
- Cook a meal for the Greater Hammond Warming Shelter.
See Marc Skertic.
- Volunteer to work in the Children’s Ministry. See Tori Ruffolo
- Volunteer to help our Missions Ministry grow. See Marc Skertic
- Donate a pint of blood to help save someone’s life this
Christmas Season. Check on-line at Versiti Highland Blood
Donation Center: Porte De L’eau Plaza, 2126 45th St.,
Highland, IN 46322 #1-877-232-4376
- Commit to praying an extra half hour specifically for…
*A family member that does not know Jesus.
*A situation that could be changed by praying for the power
of Love.
*A specific Mission or Missionary that YOU know about.
*Our church Family to grow closer to each other.
*A revival of coming to Jesus, in our country.
*Choose someone in the Church Registry and pray for them
and then send them a card or letter with encouraging words
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Sermon Notes November 10, 2024
It’s a Ghost-Filled Life “The Waking Dead”
Romans 6:4, “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
- The Holy Spirit is ___________ the Holy Spirit, the 3rd person in the Godhead (Trinity).
- The Holy Spirit is ______________________.
John 16:12-15, “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify Me because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is Mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from Me what He will make known to you.”
- In fact, inviting Jesus into your life is essentially inviting the ________________________ and work of the Holy Spirit.
John 16:7, ”But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.”
Romans 8:9, “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.”
Ephesians 5:18 ”Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”
- The Bible teaches that an individual is filled with the Holy Spirit by involving himself or herself in the process that leads to an ______________ day-in, day-out filling.
See Ephesians 4:21-32
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Sermon Notes November 3, 2024
Different Ways to be Dead
“The Walking Dead”
Ephesians 1:19-20, “…and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 He exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at his right hand in the heavenly realms….”
Romans 6:4, “ We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
Ecclesiastes 1:1-4, “The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: ‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.’ What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? 4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.”
- You’ve been given the breath of life from God, but you walk through life with a ____________, like you are _____________.
Ecclesiastes 2:10-11, “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, and this was the reward for all my toil. 11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. “
- There is also the death that comes from living a ______________ ____________… a life devoted to the _______________________.
Ephesians 2:1-6, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.”
- The most all –encompassing death we can experience is being __________________________________.
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