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Matt Carter 12/1/24 Matt Carter 12/1/24

A Covenant Keeping Advent

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Speaker: Matt Carter
Scripture: Matthew 1:1-18
December 1, 2024

Sermon Outline

1. A Gospel built on two covenants

Davidic covenant
Abrahamic covenant

2. Grafted to Jesus’ family tree

3. God’s faithfulness through generations

Famous and kingdom-advancing generations
Invisible generations
Foreign generations
Scandalous generations
Generations of division and exile
Generations in which kingship has vanished
The final generation

4. Two takeaways from our time in Matthew 1

Steve Estes 4/9/23 Steve Estes 4/9/23

Avoiding the Resurrection

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Matthew 28:11-20
April 9, 2023

Matthew 28:11-20: While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, 'You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.' If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Sermon Outline

1. Background of this passage

The burial of Christ
The next day
The Resurrection

2. The actions of those for whom the Resurrection was something to avoid

The guards
The Jewish leaders

3. We learn things that tempt people to avoid Christ's Resurrection

Reputation and luxury
Fear of the supernatural
These things feel safe

4. Avoiding Christ's Resurrection is not safe

The Jewish leaders weren't safe
Pontius Pilate and Rome weren't safe
No unrepentant sinner is safe

5. Believing in Jesus Christ is the only true safe place

6. What Jesus told his disciples

"All authority on earth has been given to me."
"Therefore, go!"

Benediction

All honor to him who was delivered over to death for our sins, and was raised to life for our justification. Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord. — paraphrased from Romans 4:25

Steve Estes 3/26/23 Steve Estes 3/26/23

"Little-Faiths" (The Disciples & the Epileptic Boy)

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Matthew 17:14-20
March 26, 2023

Matthew 17:14-20: And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Sermon Outline

1. The awful situation

2. Who Matthew focuses on

Like other gospels, Matthew records Christ's frustration with an "unbelieving generation."
Unlike other gospels, Matthew focuses on Jesus' disciples in this regard.

3. Jesus' reply: "You of little faith"

Common theme in the gospels.

4. Lack of faith is no small matter

The disciples' unbelief caused Jesus frustration while he walked the earth.
Unbelief shows that one is affected by one's culture rather than by God's promises.
Unbelief hinders our usefulness in God's kingdom.
Thus, unbelief is perverse.

5. How Christ sought to stir their faith

Jesus taught how much can be accomplished when we believe.
Jesus taught how little faith it takes to move mountains

Steve Estes 3/12/23 Steve Estes 3/12/23

Elijah Must Come First

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Matthew 17:9-13
March 12, 2023

Matthew 17:9-13: Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

Sermon Outline

1. The hard thing Jesus commanded

2. The problems raised by His words (Malachi 4:5-6)

Malachi predicted: Elijah would precede the Messiah
Malachi predicted: Elijah would bring restoration to the world

3. How Jesus addresses these problems

Regarding Elijah coming before the Messiah
Regarding Elijah restoring all things
Regarding the disciples' view that Jesus' death was incompatible with Elijah coming
How this applies to Jesus as the Messiah

4. Lessons

The reliability of Scripture is not tied to our understanding it
Not all interpretation is literal
Jesus and his followers bring salvation through suffering

Steve Estes 3/5/23 Steve Estes 3/5/23

The Transfiguration

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Matthew 17:1-8
March 5, 2023

Matthew 17:1-8: And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son,with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Sermon Outline

1. Emotional state of the disciples

2. What the disciples saw and heard

Jesus transfigured
Brief comment: How to read Bible stories
Two visitors appear
Something else unexpected appears
The voice of the Father from the cloud

3. How Jesus comforted them

4. What we learn

Ecstatic spiritual experiences are not the norm
A glimpse into life after death for believers
The Old Testament God is the same as the New Testament God
Jesus Christ has no equals
The need to listen

Steve Estes 2/12/23 Steve Estes 2/12/23

Living By Dying

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Matthew 16:24-27
February 12, 2023

Matthew 16:24-27: Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done."

Sermon Outline

1. Christ invites people to follow him by suffering with him

An unusual sales job
"Deny himself"
Take up one's cross

2. What taking up our cross looks like

Lesser deaths
Greater deaths

3. By embracing Christ's cross, I will find my life

"Will find his life" in this world
Transition: But horrific things happen here on earth
"Will find his life" in the world to come

4. By refusing Christ's cross, I will lose my life

Great temptation to "save" it
"Will lose one's life" in this world
"Will lose one's life" in the world to come

Steve Estes 2/5/23 Steve Estes 2/5/23

The "Must" of Jesus' Cross

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Matthew 16:21-23
February 5, 2023

Sermon Outline

1. The most important thing about Jesus Christ is his atoning death and resurrection

Jesus explained that he must die
How much of his statement did his disciples understand?

2. The most important thing to Satan is to frustrate/oppose the atonement of Christ

That day, Satan used the leader of the apostles to oppose Christ's atonement
Today, Satan uses a popular strand of supposed "Christianity" to oppose Christ's atonement

3. Jesus opposes those who oppose his atoning death

4. Applications

Even our believing friends can unwittingly harm us spiritually
Under their own understanding, humans are offended by the cross
The cross of Christ goes against our self-righteousness
Mourn for your sins, repent of your sins, confess your sins, but stop trying to pay for your sins