Always

Krista Wilson • May 12, 2021

Summary of sermon on Matthew 15:29-39 from Pastor Lance Shumake.

In Matthew 14, we learned about the story of Jesus feeding 5000. Now, in Matthew 15, we see a very similar story with Jesus feeding 4000.


Because these stories are so similar... we need to ask ourselves, what is unique about this story and what do we need to learn?


The main difference is the setting. This was a predominantly Gentile region. The crowd glorified the God of Israel. The scribes and the Pharisees were trying to discredit Jesus but these people were crediting him and giving him glory! This tells us there was something different! However it is still the same Jesus who loves ALL and shows compassion to ALL. 


Verse 33 says “and the disciples said to him where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed this crowd.”


The disciples were there for the feeding of the 5,000 that happened just a chapter earlier. If we dig deep into their response we can see a lot of responses that we make as well.



We tend to be forgetful, but God is always faithful.


We act just like the disciples. He has promised us that he is working everything for good and yet we often forget sometimes. The gospel reminds us that while we were still sinners he died for US! We need to actively remember!!


“Forgetfulness is dangerous, because it shapes the way you think about yourself and others. When you remember God’s generosity, you also remember that you simply did nothing whatsoever to earn his blessing. When you remember his generosity, you’re humble, thankful, and tender. When you remember his generosity, complaining gives way to gratitude and self-focused desire gives way to worship.” —Paul Tripp


What can this look like for you? Maybe it’s journaling all the things God has done for you, or a sign in your home that reminds you of his faithfulness. We need to set up reminders and open up God's word everyday to remind us. 



We tend to be narrow-minded, but God’s mission was always for all nations.


We are self focused. When Jesus goes into this gentile region and all these people are hungry the disciples could be saying we know you fed 5,000 of our people but you might not be the bread of life for these people. Seven is the number of completeness.

 

God's heart has always been for ALL the nations! Maybe they picked up seven baskets to represent all the nations! Sometimes we get so focused on what is right in front of us and we forget that God's ministry is for ALL nations! This is the reason why as a church we send people to other places across the world. We want to be a church that is on mission in our community and in the world!



We tend to be unimpressed, but God’s work is always awesome.


We have a tendency to focus on the big things and anything less than that is not what we talk about. Every single day we can read God's word and we forget how awesome this is! We tend to just look for the big moments, but anything God does for us even the small things should fill us with awe because we don’t deserve it! The Gospel should remind us of this! We were the gentiles cut off from God and God rescued us through Jesus! We should walk around with a sense of awe because of this!!!



We tend to be slow learners, but God is always patient.


We need the lessons over and over again just like the disciples did! 


“Their obtuseness accords well enough with what we know of them at this time. But is it not very natural? Is it not like us? We see some marvelous display of the Lord’s power, and yet we are full of doubts when we are thrown into another situation of need that casts us back on him. We simply do not expect him to act the second time!” — E. Michael Green



We should expect him to do it again!


When we are slow to learn, he is patient with us! He lets the disciples learn the lesson again because he is patient with them. God doesn’t turn his back on us, he is patient with us always! When we get that God is patient with us, we are patient with others! 


Let us be the people that see Gods mission and compassion and let us continually trust him because we know that he is always faithful to us!!

Freed to Serve

April 28, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 27, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:11-17 This is the beginning of a section addressing how God's people now function in this world. It begins with aliens and exiles and continues with servants, wives, husbands, and finally, all of you. 1.) Our identity defines our actions. We are sojourners and exiles (temporary, passing through, not at home) We have a heavenly citizenship Actions We abstain from the passions of the flesh Keep conduct among the Gentiles honorable (our conduct is for the benefit of other people) Honorable conduct wins souls… sojourners, exiles, and soul winners “Peter’s point is that believers’ behavior creates a context in which people will listen to God’s word. He is not teaching that ‘good deeds’ in themselves convert unbelievers, but they establish an environment for the Gospel-word to do so.” -Barnett 2.) Our identity defines our expectations (Unbelievers will respond to honorable conduct in 1 of 2 ways) Some will speak evil against us as though we are evildoers Some will see our good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation 3.) Our identity defines our view of authority (Does anyone here ever just want to do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it? That’s why laws exist) Be subject to every human institution (for the Lord's sake) This includes governors and emperors (no distinction between good/bad) The will of God... by doing good, we silence the ignorance of foolish people 4.) Our identity defines our view of freedom Don't use freedom as a cover-up for evil We are freed to serve God Honor, Love, and Fear Discipleship Questions: 1.)Why is it so important to understand our identity before talking about our behavior? 2.) How might this reality impact your parenting? For real, what are 3 ways that you can apply that this week? 3.) How is good conduct a form of evangelism? 4.) What do these verses say that we can expect from others? 5.) How can we honor a government that isn't always honorable? Seriously, what are 5 things we should immediately stop doing and 5 things we should immediately start doing? 6.) What are some tangible ways to honor others? Love the brotherhood? Fear God? Honor the Emperor? 7.) Should we fear the Emperor?

Cornerstone

April 22, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:4-10 Everyone must accept or reject Jesus. He is the cornerstone. We choose to accept Him as the foundation of our lives or toss the truth aside. When we come to Jesus… We become part of His People 1 Pe 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The cornerstone is The New Temple. From this we learn that following Christ entails joining his community, the church…The freelance Christian, who follows Jesus but is too good, too busy, or too self-sufficient for the church, is a walking contradiction. -Daniel M. Doriani We join a royal, holy, priesthood 1 Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Because of who Jesus makes us. We receive God’s mercy Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms….Now repentance is no fun at all. It is something much harder than merely eating humble pie. It means unlearning all the self-conceit and self-will that we have been training ourselves into for thousands of years. It means undergoing a kind of death. Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Discipleship Questions: Why is it impossible to be neutral about Jesus? Why do you believe that Jesus truly is the Son of God? Do you ever have doubts about this? If yes, what are they? According to 1 Peter 2:9, who are we after we come to Christ? Why does Paul say (in 1 Corinthians) that if Christ is not risen, our faith is in vain?

Born Again

April 16, 2025
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 2:2-3 Why do our souls ache for certainty? We are so eager for certainty that we will look for it in all the wrong places. - Certainty in our Finances [show slide from news] - Certainty in our Jobs [Acts 17:24-27] - Certainty in our Health [Covid] - Certainty in our Abilities [Ecclesiastes 3:11 “God has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.”] “Things that have never happened before are happening every day.” -Morgan Housel In these verses, God gives us what our souls ache for! 1.) You must be born again of imperishable seed - We have all been born of perishable seed o Impure souls o Disobedient to truth o Unloving insincerity toward others o Lack of loving effort o Impure hearts - We are withering grass and falling flowers - The imperishable seed is the living and abiding Word of God o Does not wither o Does not fall o Does not let us down o It remains forever o It MUST BE PREACHED! But still, how can we be certain that we have been born again? 2.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your relationships When your relationship with God changes, God changes your relationships! - Sincere brotherly love - Love earnestly - Put away… o Malice o Deceit o Hypocrisy o Envy o All Slander 3.) If you are born again, hope will be seen in your appetite for God’s Word - Like newborn infants - Long for the pure spiritual milk Discipleship Questions: 1.) Where are some unhealthy places where you look for certainty? 2.) Why do you do that? 3.) What were some evidences of your perishable seed before you came to Christ? Any of that still lingering that needs to be repented from? 4.) Why does Peter call the Word of God the imperishable seed? 5.) In light of the text, how would you describe being "born again" to a 5-year-old? 6.) How has imperishable hope proven itself in your relationships? OR How might it if you lean into loving others earnestly? 7.) Why does Peter tell us that hope will be seen in our appetite for God's Word?
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