There's Work To Do

November 13, 2024

Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, November 10, 2024.

Sermon text: Haggai 2:1-9


So even though we are not exiled Jews once under the rule of the Babylonians but now

under the rule of the Persians, this text is incredibly relatable and timely! When it comes to

your faith, do you sometimes know the right thing to do and fail to do it? Do you sometimes

start something like a Bible reading plan or study or prayer and not follow through with

it? Do you struggle with a sense of futility and sometimes default to looking out only for

your own interests? Do you know that nothing would be better for you than to reorder

your life and die to yourself and live for God, but still, you struggle with getting after it?

God's people have been given the green light to rebuild the temple, and 16 years have

passed! Our setting this morning is that they have started the process of rebuilding, finally!

But after only days they have slowed their working, coming nearly to a halt.


In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by

the hand of Haggai the prophet: 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor

of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the

people, and say, 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do

you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes?


The Lord of hosts wants His people to deal with their baggage

1.) Deal with your baggage

Apparently, the reason they have lost their zeal so quickly is their memories of the good old

days. There were some Israelites who were now in their 70s who experienced the glory of

Solomon's temple in the flesh. The dimensions of what they were building were actually the

exact same, but the grandeur was not even close. Rudyard Kipling has a poem with a line

about building something back up that you've lost, with worn out tools. Climb into the

story. Imagine older men and women leading these younger generations. They are standing

on a slab with a lot of work to do. With withered and calloused hands and worn out tools

they begin to rebuild. And within moments their hearts become heavy because it just feels

so futile. How could it compare to their previous experience?

I think God is showing us the importance of dealing with our baggage and how to do it.


 Be honest about your thoughts (previous church, people you did life with, a place

you lived)

 Take your thoughts captive (the wrong thoughts can lead to disobedience)

 Reckon with reality (maybe you think now compared to then is “nothing”)


4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of

Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work,

for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, 5 according to the covenant that I made with

you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not.


2.) Be Strong and Fearless

Strength is needed because our burdens way us down. Weakness and loss of zeal can come

in many ways. The language "be strong" can also be translated as "take courage". So this

isn't just the physical strength to actually get something done, but also the mental fortitude

of a transformed mind.


Fearlessness is needed because fear never leads to productivity. It always leads to doubt

and paralysis and excuses. Fear allows hurdles and unknowns to crush your spirit.

So God calls His people to deal with their baggage, and then commands them to be strong

and fearless. Have you ever told someone, "Hey, don't be fearful... don't be anxious... don't

be depressed... don't be weak." For those in that headspace or that season of life, that can

feel like being told, "Hey, don't be tall... don't be bald..." When you are struggling it

doesn't feel like you are choosing to struggle. It feels like it is just the way you are. So God,

in His mercy, gives us some reasons to be strong and fearless...


 There is work to do

 I am working with you

 My Spirit remains in your midst


6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens

and the earth and the sea and the dry land. 7 And I will shake all nations, so that the

treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of

hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. 9 The latter glory

of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I

will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.’ ” 

God encourages us to deal with our baggage, be strong and courageous because there is

work to do, and finally....


3.) Battle for an eternal perspective

The past is not meant to establish what you put your hand to now. The future does. The

unrest we feel now will be replaced with peace eternally. No matter how futile your faithful

actions seem, whether it is with your marriage, or your children, or your lack of those

things, or a small ministry, or whatever and wherever God is calling you to serve, it serves

a much bigger goal. And that goal is the glory of God. It is a battle because 2 Cor. 4 tells us

that the god of this world wants to blind the minds of unbelievers from seeing the glory of

God in the face of Christ. One way that the enemy does that is to weigh your spirit down...

to steal your joy... to cripple you with fear and zap your strength. In the enemy's mind it

goes like this, If I can keep them from serving in the Children's ministry... if I can isolate

them and make them feel like nobody else struggles with the things they struggle with... If I

can make them give way to the solicitations of the flesh and leave ministry... if I can divide

the leadership so that the church is torn apart.... maybe then that child will be blinded to

the glory of God... maybe that loner will be blinded to God's glory in community... maybe

that addict will be blinded to God's glory in accountability and community... maybe that

person who has experienced church hurt will be blinded to God's glory in church healing. I

call it a battle for an eternal perspective because it takes some grit, and it is a battle for

souls! Yours and others. As you deal with your baggage, strong and fearless, leaning into

the work that God is calling you to, your work will, gradually now, and in a significant

moment later, be met with a shaking. God shakes us now and nothing is left the way it was.

We are not our own. Our resources and talents and time now belong to Him! And that is

exactly what He will do on a much larger scale when Jesus comes back. He will shake the

heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land and the nations, drawing people to

Himself, a people for His own possession, laying hold of the silver, gold, and souls that are

rightfully His! So keep working! Indeed, the latter glory of this house shall be greater than

the former!


Discipleship Questions:

1.) What baggage are you carrying around that might be keeping you from leaning into what God is calling you to?

2.) Where in your life are you allowing fear to steal your zeal? Confess your fears and pray for one another.

3.) How does the reality of God’s presence working with you impact your view of the work? 

4.) If God’s eternal plans truly impacted your life, how would your life be different? What are some actions steps you can put in place today to lean into what God is calling you to? 

5.) What does an eternal perspective look like? How can you help your children pursue this?

Everything We Need

July 29, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, July 27, 2025. Sermon text: 2 Peter 1:3-4 We have everything we need for a godly life. Sentence has: 68 words 9 prepositional phrases 5 dependent clauses God called us. “By His divine power” The word here is summon Like Lazarus, come forth. English readers are apt to understand calling in terms of an invitation that can be accepted or rejected. Peter has something deeper in mind. Christ’s call is effective, awakening and creating faith. -Thomas R. Schreiner 1 Peter 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. By revealing Christ to us. “Through the knowledge of Him” Side note, ambiguity: The ambiguity in the text indicates that Peter does not clearly distinguish between God and Christ, which indicates that God and Christ were venerated equally. - Thomas R. Schreiner Excuses are Eliminated We need to note that this comes to us by grace, but also that we have a part to play here. Effort is not a 4 letter word. You have no excuse for: Pornography- You have everything you need. Substance Abuse- You have everything you need. Pride- You have everything you need Laziness- You have everything you need Anger- You have everything you need. Prayer and Scripture Reading- You have everything you need. Evangelism- You have everything you need. He’ll go on to mention supplementing He has given us what we need for godliness now, and He promises us even greater things to come. We will share in Christ’s Divine Nature 2 Pe 1:4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature Unusual word… The “divine nature” (Theos) appears only here and in Acts where Paul addresses the Areopagus an odd work choice and would have appealed to his pagan readers. Acts 17:29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. Redefining what it means to become like God. Christ shared in our nature that we might share in His. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. In 1:3, it’s through the knowledge of Christ that we are called to Him. Here, we see that a fuller revelation of Christ will conform us even more fully into His likeness. How so? Purity Immortality Restoration to Eden Christians also share in God’s immortality. They are not trapped in this world. Though ‘perishable’ now, Christians will be raised ‘imperishable’ -Paul Gardner Glory John 17:22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, We have everything we need for a godly life. English readers are apt to understand calling in terms of an invitation that can be accepted or rejected. Peter has something deeper in mind. Christ’s call is effective, awakening and creating faith. -Thomas R. Schreiner 1 Peter 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. The ambiguity in the text indicates that Peter does not clearly distinguish between God and Christ, which indicates that God and Christ were venerated equally. - Thomas R. Schreiner Excuses are Eliminated We will share in Christ’s Divine Nature Acts 17:29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 1 John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. Purity Immortality Christians also share in God’s immortality. They are not trapped in this world. Though ‘perishable’ now, Christians will be raised ‘imperishable.’ -Paul Gardner Glory John 17:22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one. Discipleship Questions: 2 Peter 1:3 says we’ve been given everything we need for life and godliness… Do you find that verse encouraging, challenging or both? Are there any areas of your walk where you struggle to believe that you already have everything you need for success? Do you ever make excuses to yourself or others for a lack of godliness? If yes, explain. How much work does it take to live as a Christian? What does it mean that we will be “partakers in the divine nature”?

The Genuine Gospel

July 21, 2025
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, July 20, 2025. Sermon text: 2 Peter 1:1-2  Peter is warning us about counterfeit teaching and false teachers The genuine gospel came from Jesus through His apostles —servant (humility and honor) —apostle (called, unique, sent) The genuine gospel is just as precious to us today —received and believed “How does someone become a Christian? One person might say, ‘Because I believe,’ and another, ‘Because God chose me.’ According to Peter, both ways of stating it are correct. On the one hand, we believe. It is a fundamental definition of a Christian that he or she is a ‘believe-er’; that he or she ‘has faith’ But Peter also knows that it is not our feeble faith that holds us close to God. It is God who does all the holding, and that is the reality behind the word received.” —R. C. Lucas and Christopher Green, The Message of 2 Peter & Jude The genuine gospel is centered on the person and work of Jesus —God —Savior —Christ —Lord “This fourfold description of Jesus is important because it puts him at the focal point of human history. As God, he guarantees that his words and his works cannot be replaced or revoked; as Christ, he fulfills all the Old Testament promises; as Savior, he died on the cross for our salvation in the past, present and future; and as Lord he claims the right to our individual love and obedience—notice how Peter calls him our Lord.” —R. C. Lucas and Christopher Green, The Message of 2 Peter & Jude The genuine gospel transforms us as we grow in knowledge of Jesus —grace and peace multiplied Discipleship Questions: Why is false teaching so dangerous? How does remembering and focusing on the true gospel help us stand against false teaching? In what ways is the gospel just as precious to us as it was to the apostles? How do you relate to Jesus as God, Savior, Christ, and Lord? What is the difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Him?

The God of All Grace

July 16, 2025
Notes from Zach Snow's sermon on Sunday, July 13, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 5:8-14 Why is the lion roaring? Wouldn’t it be a better strategy to be quiet…subtle…sneaky, in an attempt to “devour” Christians? I think that Peter, led by the Holy Spirit, was very intentional with his description here of the devil being a roaring lion. Went into a rabbit hole on a lion's roar…there are some spiritual applications to these: Can reach up to 114 decibels…almost as loud as a jet engine taking off They roar for social reasons (territory, create bonds, locate other members of their pride) as well as for purposes of intimidation. One of the primary purposes of the lion's roar is to strike fear in the heart of their prey. The lion will always start with a psychological advantage Fear, anxiety, depression, anger, hatred - these things can absolutely paralyse you spiritually The lion is not necessarily trying to kill you, but to destroy your faith Prayer: Be sober-minded - Have a clear and self disciplined mind - Titus 2 Exercise self control in thoughts, words, and action this is the 3rd time Peter has said this to us in 1 Peter - 1:13, 4:7 - it’s a call to remain alert and focused Being sober-minded means waging war against the things that are detrimental to the mind: fear, hatred, anxiety, depression, anger I believe these are specific things the enemy uses to derail our mental health and cause us to take our guard down Be watchful - this is the same word that Jesus used in the garden before he was arrested and crucified - this is a call to pray Prayers for others - Eph. 6:18 - Ephesians 6:18 - [18] praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, Prayers for yourself - James 1:5 - 5 j If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. So here’s the question… Do you believe in prayer? How much do you trust that God can do the things that you are not able to do? Do you trust God with the big stuff AND the small stuff? Discipleship Questions: 1.) In your personal life, what does being sober minded and watchful look like to you? 2.) Who are the people who help you stand firm in your faith the most? 3.) As a CG look at each of the points of the Theology of Suffering and find Scripture to support each one of those statements: God is ALWAYS good God is ALWAYS enough God will ALWAYS love you 4.) Discuss ways that the God of all grace has restored, confirmed, strengthened, and established you.
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