The Greatest Stories Ever Told

Notes from Marc Bauder's sermon on Sunday, January 1, 2023. Sermon text: Luke 2:22–38 Today, we conclude our sermon series on The Greatest Stories Ever Told which we started in the Fall, and in that series we highlighted several Old Testament stories and how they pointed to Christ. At the time of today's text, the long awaited Messiah has come. Christ has been born and there is a generation of Israelites that gets to walk the earth with him. In this passage we are introduced to two such people: Simeon and Anna. Believers should have a grateful heart and respond accordingly. In Luke 2:28–29, Simeon blessed God, and Anna follows suit in verse 38 at God's faithfulness. The Christian heart should be grateful rather than discontent for what God continues to do in our lives. Like Anna, if you believe the Gospel, tell others. God is sovereign and we can trust Him. His timing is often different than our timing, but it is always perfect. His plan for Jesus and all mankind is also perfect. The Holy Spirit is an essential part of the Christian life. If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, the Holy Spirit is dwelling in you. But not all believers can be described as being filled with the Spirit—to be filled with the Holy Spirit is to experience His full working and power in and through you. You can receive the Spirit by presenting your body to Him, asking for Him, obeying Him, and having faith. Discipleship Questions How would you characterize your typical conversations with friends, family, Community Group, etc.? What about your thought life? Are you generally dwelling on angst or discontentment? Or are you expressing gratitude for what God has done for you and is continuing to do in your life? Are you like Anna, who went and told others after she encountered Christ? If not, what is holding you back? In what ways are you most anxious for God to act? Do you have an example of God's timing being perfect in your own life? What can we learn from Simeon's reaction to God's sovereignty and timing? What examples can you share about the Holy Spirit's power in your life? What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Is anything holding you back from being filled with the Holy Spirit?

Notes from Pastor Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, December 18. Sermon text: Matthew 1:18-25 Old Testament = promises made New Testament = promises kept (1) There are some parts of your story that God doesn’t tell you about Ecclesiastes 3:11, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." We want to know the full plan; God created us that way. There is a tension because God created us not to know everything. It draws us to God. (2) “Good” people can make bad decisions - Fear was motivating Joseph’s decision to divorce Mary quietly (3) God’s plans might make people doubt us and/or question us (4) God brings his redemptive grace to Joseph - God entrusted Joseph with infant Jesus’ safety (5) God rescues us from our own plans - God trusts Joseph, because God is in control, not Joseph (6) God has entrusted you with good works Discipleship Questions What's a part of your story that you didn't understand at the time it was happening? How has the Lord used that story to draw you closer to Him? What parts of your story do you still not understand? Can you trust God with those parts? Pastor Scott mentioned that the angel told Joseph, "do not fear ", because His response to Mary's pregnancy was rooted in fear. When it comes to struggles in your own life, what is your fleshly response -- fear, anxiety, hopelessness, etc.? How can you combat that with Scripture? How have God's plans for your life been different than your own plans? What good works have you been entrusted with?

Notes from Pastor Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, December 11. Mary knew God had chosen her by grace Mary knew nothing was impossible for God “But the Bible says, “Nothing will be impossible with God.” He is the God of the virgin birth! There is no sin he cannot forgive, no relationship he cannot reconcile, no problem he cannot resolve, no need he cannot meet, no ministry he cannot bless, no grief he cannot comfort, no life he cannot reclaim, no sinner he cannot save. The God of the virgin birth is the God who makes all things possible.” —Philip Graham Ryken Mary knew she could trust God’s plan “Are you willing to be God’s servant? Then surrender to his will and submit to his word. Give up control, putting things into his hands rather than bending them to your own purpose. Live for God no matter what other people think. And do this even if it means suffering for the cause of Christ. By the grace of God, through faith in Christ and by the work of his Holy Spirit, we are able to say what Mary said: ‘Have it your way, Lord, not mine—I am ready to do your will.’” —Philip Graham Ryken Mary knew God’s word and chose to obey it Luke 11:27–28 [27] As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” [28] He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Discipleship Questions God chose Mary by His grace. How does that truth inform our lives and our interactions with others? What are some things that feel impossible in your life? How should we respond in light of this story? What part of God’s plan do you struggle to accept and embrace? What can help you trust Him? How can knowing God’s word help you trust Him and obey Him? What is your plan for knowing God’s word in 2023?

Notes from Pastor Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, December 4. "As the early Christians looked back at what God had done through Jesus Christ, they realized that it had all started with John the Baptist. He was the forerunner, the herald sent ahead to announce the coming of the Christ. In the ancient prophecies, God had promised that before the Messiah came, his messenger would prepare the way. John the Baptist was the man who got people ready for Jesus." -Philip Graham Ryken "He [Zechariah] walked through the temple courts, passing through the crowds that had gathered to pray. Then he went up to the Holy Place where God was. As he entered, he saw the sacred furniture that the Israelites had made according to the instructions God gave to Moses on the mountain. On his left was the golden lampstand of life, flickering in the darkness. On his right was the table of bread. In front of him was the golden altar of incense, up against the curtain that guarded the entrance to the Holy of Holies. Zechariah was standing in the presence of almighty God, burning the incense that wafted up to heaven with his prayers. His heart was pounding in his chest, and then suddenly it almost stopped! He was not alone, but in the presence of a heavenly being." - Philip Graham Ryken Name Meanings 1. Zechariah: God remembers 2. Elizabeth: God is faithful 3. John: God is merciful 4. Jesus: God saves John's Ministry (1) The New Elijah Malachi 4:5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. Both… 1. Lived in the wilderness 2. Wore animal skins with a leather belt 3. Spoke out against evil kings 4. Lives were sought by evil queens 5. Had a significant moment of doubt (2) The GOOT (The Greatest of Old Times)  (3) An announcer John 3:25–27, “Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. [26] And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness— look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.” John 3:28–30, “ You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ [29] The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. [30] He must increase, but I must decrease.” Discipleship Questions What stands out to you about the story of John the Baptist? How would you describe the role of John the Baptist in your own words? How did John’s ministry prepare the way for Jesus? Do you think it was difficult for John when his followers began leaving him to follow Jesus? Why or why not? John said in John 3:30, “He must become greater, I must become less.” Are there any areas of your life in which you are seeking your own recognition rather than that of Jesus? John said in John 3:27, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.” Spend time recounting and sharing the good things God has give you that you clearly could not achieve on your own.

Notes from Pastor Nick Gainey's sermon on Sunday, November 27. For week one of Advent, we’re going to look at the 400 years of silence just before the birth of Jesus where there were no stories. It seemed on the surface as though God was quiet or not doing much. We have the benefit of being able to see trends and patterns in the story of God by having the complete scriptures in our hands. So, to gain a little understanding let’s look back to another time when God was quiet but preparing to reveal himself in a mighty way. In looking back, we can see God’s character and his nature in how he moves and acts. A few things we know of the character of God in the Exodus of God’s people: God keeps his promises. God sees and knows. God has a plan. English Bible ends with Malachi but the Hebrew Old Testament ends with the Chronicles. Chronicles is calling God’s people to look back in order to look forward with hope. We look back in this Advent season in order to have hope for the future. We look back at the promises God has kept. We look back to understand that God sees and knows. We look back to see God’s plan. Discipleship Questions Discuss the hope that you receive in looking back to God’s promises that he has kept. Give examples of areas/situations in your life where you know “God sees and knows.” What hope do you receive in remembering that God has a plan? How does looking back and seeing God’s character in these areas help you when you seem to be in a season of waiting or silence?

Notes from Pastor Lance Shumake's sermon on the story of Daniel. God’s wonderful plan for our lives… —faithfulness —consistency “What we need are fewer revolutionaries and a few more plodding visionaries. That's my dream for the church—a multitude of faithful, risk-taking plodders. The best churches are full of gospel-saturated people holding tenaciously to a vision of godly obedience and God's glory, and pursuing that godliness and glory with relentless, often unnoticed, plodding consistency.” —Kevin DeYoung —steadfastness “God is not committed to our comfort. He is not committed to making our path through life smooth. He is committed to sanctifying us and demonstrating his own glory in and through us; and, very often, that commitment means he will subject our earthen vessels to pressures that would certainly shatter us, were his grace not sufficient for us. The Lord will take you into the eye of the storm, to show that he is the storm’s master and that he can make your fragile vessel float safely through to the other side. His wonderful plan for your life is to sanctify you through trials and tribulations.” —Iain M. Duguid, Reformed Expository Commentary - Daniel God’s plan is to bless us in order to show his glory and greatness Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Discipleship Questions How have you experienced faithfulness in small things preparing you for faithfulness in bigger things? In what areas of your life do you desire to be more faithful? How can you become more consistent as a follower of Jesus? What does it look like to be consistent as a part of Crosspoint? Describe a time when God helped you become more steadfast through a trial or test. In what ways have you seen God glorified through your faithfulness, consistency, and/or steadfastness?

Notes from Pastor Nick Gainey's sermon on the story of Esther. The Providence of God The story of Esther is not primarily a story of moral example but a story of God’s providence – working and moving to keep the Jews from being wiped out by Haman. Heidelberg Catechism What is the providence of God? The almighty and ever present power of God by which God upholds, as with his hand, heaven and earth and all creatures, and so rules them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and lean years, food and drink, health and sickness, prosperity and poverty— all things, in fact, come to us not by chance but by his fatherly hand. How does the knowledge of God’s creation and providence help us? We can be patient when things go against us, thankful when things go well, and for the future we can have good confidence in our faithful God and Father that nothing in creation will separate us from his love. For all creatures are so completely in God’s hand that without his will they can neither move nor be moved. Proverbs 21:1 – “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.” Job 42:1 – “I know that you can do anything and no plan of yours can be thwarted.” Psalm 103:19 – “ The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.” Daniel 4:35 – “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven; And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can ward off His hand, Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?” Man’s responsibility within God’s Providential rule. God is sovereign and man is not. - Story of Joseph – “What you meant for evil, God meant for good.” - Esther’s moment before the king is not her doing. It is God’s. We are responsible for our choices and the actions we take. - Saul was rejected as king and Haman is here because of that. - Easy application here is what happens to Haman. - Consequences of sin in our own lives. Remembering God’s providential hand leads to faith and worship. Ether and Mordecai’s response after Haman’s death was not worship, it was revenge. The text is different from God’s decrees earlier in the OT to wipe out people groups. God isn’t mentioned instructing them to carry this out. -- Discipleship Questions  How are you balancing the relationship between God’s providence and your responsibility? In what ways does remembering God’s providence stir your heart with faith and worship? In what areas of your day-to-day life are you not trusting and remembering God’s providence? How would trusting and remembering God’s providence change your perspective and ability to honor God in those moments?

Notes from Pastor Ky Martin's sermon on the Book of Josiah. “I defy the Pope and all his laws. If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plow to know more of the Scripture, than thou dost!” - William Tyndale “Geneva’s spiritual transformation began with worship, as reformation always does. The more John Calvin preached the gospel, the more Bible-focused and Christ-centered the city’s worship services became. But that was only the beginning. The reformation transformed education. Soon girls as well as boys were attending the Academy of Geneva to become better prepared to build the church and benefit society. Calvin and his colleagues were concerned about the body as well as the soul, so they started a hospital and developed a sewer system to promote public health. In their care for the poor, they welcomed thousands of refugees in Jesus’ name….This is what almost always happens when a leader has a heart for God and for his Word: people follow…. When fathers and mothers genuinely love the gospel, their spiritual affections have a life-shaping influence on their sons and daughters. The more we love God’s Word, the more people around us will love it, too.” - Philip Graham Ryken Kids are capable. 2 Chronicles 34:3, “For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet a boy, he began to seek the God of David his father, and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherim, and the carved and the metal images.” Our pursuit of God must be relentless. Knowing and following God is an end in itself. “Serving God faithfully is always the right thing to do, no matter what the immediate results happen to be. Some of the things we do for the gospel will turn out to make an eternal difference. By staying faithful to the Word of God, we will also help other Christians persevere through dark and desperate days. We can leave the results up to God. Our calling is to keep doing the ongoing work of reformation, as Josiah did. Then maybe we will receive the same high praise that Jesus gave to Mary of Bethany when she anointed his head with oil. Jesus said, “She has done what she could” (Mark 14:8), which is all that any of us can do.” - Philip Graham Ryken Hebrews 2:9, “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” -- Discipleship Questions Josiah’s entire society was transformed when the Word of God was proclaimed and upheld. How can the proclamation and knowledge of God have a similar effect on our families, churches, and society? Has there been a time of reform or return in your life in which you were running away from God and abruptly turned back to Him? Josiah resorted to violent, drastic measures to put an end to idolatry, because he feared the people would return to it. Has there been a time in your life when you had to take drastic measures to eliminate sin? Even though Josiah did everything right, he still could not save his society from the consequences of their sin. How do we find encouragement to be faithful even if that means our society (at large) cannot be turned to God?