Greater than the Angels

Jesus is Greater than the Angels

Dave Riddle - 10/22/2023

Key Passage: Hebrews 1:4-14

Seven affirmations of Jesus’ superiority over the angels

- Hebrews 1:4

Jesus is the son of God

- Hebrews 1:5

- Psalm 2:7

- 2 Samuel 7:14

Jesus is worshipped

- Hebrews 1:6

- Deuteronomy 32:43

- Colossians 1:5

- Revelation 7:11

Jesus is served

- Hebrews 1:7

- Psalm 104:4

- Matthew 4:11

Jesus is King

- Hebrews 1:7

- Luke 22:43

- Revelation 17:14a

- Psalm 89:27

Jesus is Creator

- Hebrews 1:10-11

- Colossians 1:16

Jesus is eternal

- Hebrews 1:11-12

- John 1

Jesus is elevated to the right hand of God

- Hebrews 1:13

- 1 Peter 3:21-22

- Colossians 3:1

What Are You Seeking?

Message begins around 31:00

What Are You Seeking?
02/20/2021 - Dave Riddle 
Key Passage: Colossians 3:1-2

Keep Seeking Christ

• Colossians 3:1

  • zēteō (ζητέω): to seek by thinking, meditating, or reasoning. As a Hebraism: to worship God.

• Colossians 3:2

  • Stay focused, set your attention.

Don’t Seek After The Things of Earth

• Colossians 3:2

  • phroneō (φρονέω) To direct one's mind to a thing, to seek, to strive for

• What has your truest, deepest, most foundational affection?

• Philippians 3:17-19

  • Enemies of the cross focus on earthly things.

• Matthew 16 - Peter rebukes Jesus.

  • 16:23 “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns, but man’s.”

Pick up your cross and follow Jesus

• Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.

• Galatians 5:24 - Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh.

• Galatians 2:20 - I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live but Christ lives in me.

  • Bonhoeffer- “When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die”

Jesus flips the tables of our lives

• Matthew 21, John 2, Mark 11, Luke 19

  • Symbolic of what he does in our lives.

The Impact of Peace

The Impact of Peace

12/26/2021 - Dave Riddle 

Jesus is…

Isaiah 9:6 - Prince of Peace

• Peace = shalowm (Hebrew: שָׁלוֹם) - a very broad term that means health, security, tranquility, good condition, success, comfort, and more.

  • it has layers of meaning related to peace.

  • Widely used in the Hebrew Bible, shalowm clearly depicts a satisfied condition, an unconcerned state of peacefulness.

Luke 2:13 – 14 - Peace on Earth

• Peace = eirēnē (Greek: εἰρήνη) - a state of tranquility, harmony, and safety. In a Christian context: the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation.

(Re)Connection

• Peace with God Himself

  • Romans 5:1

Confidence

• John 16:33

  • Peaceful confidence provides escape from anger, worry…

Rest

• Matthew 11:28

  • Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest….

A Gift

• John 14:27

  • Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you…

    • Something only Jesus can give.

    • An invitation, a gift.

• Philippians 4:7

  • A peace He gives to us, not something we develop

  • A peace that is so great we can’t understand it!

A Spiritual Orientation

• Galatians 5:22 - fruit of the Spirit.

  • You are peaceful now live in peace.

    • A reality and a challenge

A Calling

• Colossians 3:15

  • Let peace of Christ rule in your heart.

• Romans 12:16

  • As much as it depends on you…

• Hebrews 12:14

  • Strive for peace with everyone.

Surrender your will to the will of the Father

Pray and ask for the peace of Christ to rule our hearts

A Struggle

• Matthew 10:34

  • Jesus becomes the dividing line

  • There is no peace without him.

Blessing

• Matthew 5:9

  • Blessed are the peacemakers.

Reflect, Encourage, Share Peace

Joy - God in Our Midst

Joy - God in Our Midst
12/20/20 - Dave Riddle
Key Passage: Luke 2:10

Joy is Not the Same as Happiness

• Happiness and unhappiness are circumstantial.

• Joy is a deep-rooted state of ongoing delight inspired by God himself.

  • 1 Peter 1:8

Joy is Commanded

• An imperative, an exultation, a command.

  • Philippians 4:4

  • We always have a reason to have joy, even when we’re unhappy or disillusioned.

Joy Takes Some Commitment

• Colossians 3:2

  • Is your primary focus on the here and now, or on things above?

Joy Can Become An Orientation

• Galatians 5:22

  • Joy manifests as we walk in the Spirit.

Living Joyfully

• Remember how you’re loved

  • God loves you with an everlasting love!

• Remember who you are and whose you are.

  • 1 John 3:1

  • Remember your identity. Nothing can change your identity in Christ

  • 1 Peter 2:9-10

• Remember what you have

  • 1 Peter 1:3-6

    • New birth ( you are a new creation)

    • Living hope

    • An Inheritance

John 15:11 - I have told you this so that my joy may be in you.

The joy of the Lord is our strength.

Hello My Name is... Prince of Peace

Hello my name is: Prince of Peace

Dave Riddle - 12/22/19

Key Passage: Isaiah 9:6

sar (Hebrew: שַׂר) - a captain, master, chief, ruler, commander, leader, or prince. A person of nobility or rank. 

• used over 380x in the Hebrew Bible, to refer to various types of government or religious officials, rulers of cities, etc.

  • see also: czar, tsar, caesar

• Not just a prince over us, but a prince with us.

shalowm (Hebrew: שָׁלוֹם) - a very broad term that means health, security, tranquility, good condition, success, comfort, and more. 

• it has layers of meaning related to peace.

• Widely used in the Hebrew Bible, shalowm clearly depicts a satisfied condition, an unconcerned state of peacefulness. 

Peace Brings Confidence

• John 16:33

  • You will have suffering in this world, but be courageous because Jesus has conquered the world!

Peace Brings Rest

• Matthew 11:29

  • ...you will find rest for your souls.

Peace Brings Reconciliation

• Romans 5:1

  • Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God.

Peace is a Gift

• John 14:27 (HCSB): Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.

  • Unending

  • Complete

  • Above & Beyond

    • Philippians 4:7 - (ICB) And God’s peace will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The peace that God gives is so great that we cannot understand it.

Colossians 3:15

• Is He the master of your heart?

• Is He your sar of shalowm?

The Will of God

The Will of God

Charles Bai - 10/13/19

Key Passage: Romans 12:2

Romans 12:2

• The will of God... is good acceptable and perfect

  • Good: Luke 18:19 - no one is good except God alone.

  • Acceptable: Matthew 3:17 - This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.

  • Perfect: Revelation 4:11 - all things created by the will of God

Matthew 6:9-13

• When we pray we need to think about three things.

  • The name of God

    • Holy

  • The Kingdom of God

    • Will come

  • The Will of God

    • On Earth as it is in Heaven

Matthew 7:21

• Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven.

  • So, what IS the will of God?

1 Thessalonians 4:3

• For this is the will of God, your sanctification...

  • Sanctification

    • To be made holy

    • To be set apart

How are we sanctified?

• by the Holy Spirit

  • Romans 15:16

• Through the truth of God’s word

  • John 17:15-17

    • Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

  • Read the word of God!

Ephesians 4:24/Colossians 3:10

• “Put on the new self/new man...”

The Servant

The Servant

Dave Riddle - 09/01/19

Key Passages: Colossians 3:22-25, Ephesians 6:5-8

doulos (Greek: δοῦλος): a slave, bondman, man of servile condition

The Command? Obey

• hypakouō (Greek: ὑπακούω) - listen, used of one who, at a knock on the door, comes to listen for who is there (duty of a porter). To listen to a command, to obey, be obedient to, submit to.

The Way of Obedience

In All Ways

• Colossians 3:22 - ...obey your masters in all things.

With the proper attitude

• Ephesians 6:5 - ...obey ...with respect and fear

At All Times

• Ephesians 6:6 - obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you.

  • Emphasized again in Colossians 3:22

With the Right Heart

• Ephesians 6:6-7 - ...doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly.

Committed to Excellence

• Colossians 3:23 - In all the work you are doing, work the best you can.

Having a Spiritual Focus

• Colossians 3:24 - you are serving the Lord Christ.

Maintaining a Kingdom Perspective 

• Colossians 3:24 - Remember that you will receive your reward from the Lord.