We Get Him

March 15, 2023

Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, March 12, 2023.

Sermon text: Hebrews 5:1-10


If I were to ask you to fill in the following blank, how would you answer? Jesus is my _______. Interestingly when you google Jesus is my…… at the top of the list with over 1.4 Million results is “Jesus is my homeboy.” Other runners up were… superhero, friend, doctor, Rock, Savior… Over the years we have come up with many ways to try to relate to and understand Jesus. Some of those ways have been helpful, some less helpful, some trendy, but the ones with real staying power are usually the ones designed by God.


1.) God has designed us to understand Jesus in particular ways, not just however we wish. (v1-6)

Last week’s encouragement was for us to confidently draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find help in time of need. When I need help, I don’t call a stranger. I call a friend. Someone that I understand and someone that understands me. The role of high priest helps us to see why we should draw near to Jesus. It helps us to answer the question, “Can I really trust Him?”


2.) The High Priest was called by God.

Verse 5:4… Like Aaron, Jesus did not take this role upon himself. He didn’t arrive on the scene and say, “Hey Caiaphas, you’re in my seat.” After conquering death, Jesus was appointed by God to this eternal role of High Priest. God bestowed that honor on Jesus.


3.) The High Priest acted on behalf of men in relation to God.

For thousands of years, God’s people understood that their sin separated them from God. So God appointed a role through which a sinful people could still have fellowship with their sinless God. There was a sense in which they could have a relationship with God through the Priesthood. But sacrifices must be made to atone for the sins of the people. So this person was appointed and available, interceding, and advocating. Jesus acts on behalf of men in relation to God.


Romans 8:34 “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”


1 John 2:1 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”


Hebrews 7:24-25 “but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”


4.) The High Priest was gentle and tender.

Specifically 5:2-3 says, “He [the earthly high priest] can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.”


5.) Jesus never sinned.

This is what is being explained in verses 7-9 “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him…”


Jesus always resisted temptation!  He never gave way to the solicitations of the flesh, and he was made perfect through it. He was proven when we were not! And his soul wrenching pleading to his Father came from a place of understanding

that one sinful act, even one sinful thought, and he was no longer fit to be a holy sacrifice, or a great high priest. At that point he would be no different. He would have to go get a bull or a goat or a ram and offer a sacrifice for his own sins! His weakness NEVER resulted in sin. So, He gets us and we get him. He was more in touch with reality than we are, not less.

He experienced the full extent of fighting against sin, and He won. Remember, this section of Scripture is explaining why we should have such confidence in our Savior. There is grace. There is mercy. There is help in a time of need. There is help if you have ever felt that Jesus doesn’t understand. Draw near to Him and find help and freedom from sin.



Discipleship Questions:

  1. Why is it important to behold Jesus the way that God intended for us to behold Him?
  2. In what ways is it encouraging for us that Jesus is currently interceding for us with the Father?
  3. Discuss particular areas where you lack strength, feel feeble, and are beset with weaknesses.
  4. How can our weaknesses sometimes lead to sin?
  5. How can our weaknesses sometimes lead to gentleness, tenderness, and compassion for one another?
  6. How is Jesus a Great High Priest? 
  7. When you consider how Jesus resisted temptation far more than we have, how does that encourage you to move toward Jesus to find help in a time of need?

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?
Show More