Fear & Peace

Fear & Peace

Dave Riddle - 4/14/2024

Key Passage: John 20:19-30

They were afraid

- John 20:19

- The disciples were deeply afraid

- John 19:38

- Joseph was deeply afraid

- Luke 24:37

Called to peace

- John 14:27

- Embrace peace, not fear!

The disciples rejoiced

- John 20:20-21

- Peace Be With You

God wants to give us peace

- Peace with Him

- The peace that only He can provide

- eirene: a national state of tranquility, harmony, and safety. In a Christian context: the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Jesus, and so fearing nothing from God and content with his/her earthly lot of whatsoever sort that is.

- Peace: the absence of chaos.

The key to peace

- John 20:25-27

- it isn’t based on what we see or experience.

- Peace is found through faith in Jesus.

- John 20:28-29

- Believe

- John 20:30-31

- Are we foolish and slow to believe?

- Luke 24:25-27

We His People - We Become

We His People - We Become

Dave Riddle - 9/17/2023

Key Passage: Philippians 2:5

Spiritual Formation/Development

- “The process of being formed in the image of Christ…” – M Robert Mulholland Jr. - Invitation to a Journey

- Luke 6:40

- We should be becoming more like Jesus.

- Matthew 28:19-20

- We should be forming others to be more like Jesus.

- Teaching for transformation, not just information.

Imitators of Christ

- John 14:15 - If you love me, keep my commands.

- 1 John 2:4-6

- …walk just as Jesus walked.

- 1 Peter 2:21

- Ephesians 5:1-2 - be imitators of God

- 1 Corinthians 11:1 - imitate me as I imitate Christ

- Galatians 2:20a

- …I no longer live but Christ lives in me.

Belonging and Becoming are intrinsically tied together

- We are meant to walk and grow together.

How do we do this?

Philippians 1:6

- God is at work in you!

- Surrender, listen to the Holy Sprit

- Walk with brothers and sisters in Christ

Hebrews 12:1-3

- Jesus starts and finishes the work

- Our job? Throw off all the weight that entangles us.

2 Corinthians 3:18

- be transformed

Galatians 5 - Fruit of the Spirit

- are you filled with these things?

- Are you growing in them?

“The process of being formed in the image of Christ for the sake of others” – M Robert Mulholland Jr. - Invitation to a Journey

If we aren’t becoming more like Jesus, what’s the point?

- “the church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that… [it’s] simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.”

- CS Lewis

God Hates Lying Tongues

The Hated Six - God Hates Lying Tongues

Dave Riddle - 8/6/2023

Key Passage: Proverbs 6:16-19

A Lying Tongue

seqer: an untruth, by implication, a sham (often adverbial)

John 8:44 - …the father of lies…

• God hates lies because he is truth and the enemy is all about deceit.

• 2 Corinthians 11:3, 14

A Lying Witness

kezab: falsehood; literally (untruth) or figuratively (idol)

Exodus 20:16 - …do not give false testimony…

John 14:6 - I am the way, the truth, and the life.

The Sobering Reward For Lies

• Judgement

• Psalm 5:6

• Proverbs 19:8

• Revelation 21:8

• Revelation 22:15

Why do we lie?

• Because we’re afraid

• To gain advantage

• To hurt others

• Financial gain

• Habit

• To avoid embarrassment

• To hide

• To avoid punishment

• To protect yourself or others

How do you lie?

• We speak untruths

• We believe the lies of the enemy and begin to tell them to ourselves and others.

• We lie about who we are and what we believe 

• 1 John 2:9

• 1 John 4:20a

The solution for our lies: Repent

• This is good news!

• There is hope for us if we receive the truth of the gospel.

• John 8:31-32

• The truth will set you free.

Life in the Spirit

House Rules - Holy Spirit

Dave Riddle - 10/16/2022

Key Passage:  John 14:16-17

Life in the Spirit

• walking in the power and leadership of the Holy Spirit, while bearing spiritual fruit and utilizing spiritual gifts.

A Promise Fulfilled

• John 14:16-17

  • We need help!

• John 16:7

  • Jesus was leaving, but He didn’t leave us without help!

  • Helper = paraklētos - summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid. One who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate. One who pleads another's cause with one, an intercessor. In the widest sense, a helper, aider, assistant

Friendship

• Holy Spirit “…is the loving, self-communicating, out-fanning and out-pouring presence of the eternal divine life of the triune God. By the Spirit, God draws near to the creature and mediates a knowledge of divinity in a hundred thousand ways.” - Jürgen Moltmann

Conviction

• John 16:8-9

  • We are completely dependent on the Holy Spirit bearing fruit in our gospel work and in our lives.

New Life

• Acts 2:37-38

• John 3:5-6

• John 6:63a

Empowered Life

• Acts 1:8

• 2 Timothy 1:7

  • Power = dynamis (Greek: δύναμις) strength, ability of power, especially inherent power, residing in something (or someone) by virtue of its (or their) nature.

• Galatians 5:16

Changed (Fruitful) Life

• Galatians 5:22-23

• Galatians 5:25 - If we live by the spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit

  • Keep in step = stoicheo (Greek: στοιχέω) -literally, to march in military rank; to proceed in a row as the march of a soldier. Figuratively, to conform (in virtue, piety)

Gifted Life

• 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

  • We are strengthened by each other’s gifts.

• 1 Corinthians 12:12

Directed Life

• John 16:3

• 1 Corinthians 2:14

Eternal Life

• Ephesians 1:13-14

• Ephesians 4:30

United Life

• 1 Corinthians 12:13

• koinōnia (Greek: κοινωνία) - fellowship, association, community, intimacy, joint participation (the share which one has in anything), communion.

Missions Emphasis Week - A Love for Jesus

Missions Emphasis Week - A Love for Jesus

10/9/2022 - Micah Williams

Key Passage: John 14:23-24

A love for Jesus looks like a love for the marginalized

• Matthew 25:31-40

  • Hungry, thirsty, naked, imprisoned, strangers

  • Do we see those who are on the margins?

  • What if it was Jesus in need?

A love for Jesus looks like a love for the lost

• Matthew 28:19-20

• Mark 16:15-16

  • The gospel is good news.

    • Not everybody knows the good news.

    • The vast majority of people we brush shoulders with do not know Jesus.

A love for Jesus looks like a commitment to living missionally  

• Romans 10:13-17

  • We have to tell others.

  • They won’t hear unless somebody says something.

  • How do you spend your time and your money?

Set your sights on eternity 

• Revelation 19:6-7

What Did Jesus Say About The Holy Spirit?

Message Begins around 24:15

What Did Jesus Say About The Holy Spirit?

Dave Riddle • 05/29/2022

Key Passage: John 15:26-16:15'

The Helper

• John 15:26-27

  • Helper = paraklētos - summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid. One who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate. One who pleads another's cause with one, an intercessor. In the widest sense, a helper, aider, assistant

• John 7

• John 14:16-17

Jesus leaving was to our advantage!

• John 16:7-8

The Work of The Holy Spirit in our Lives

• Convicting

  • John 16:9 - Conviction of our lack of belief.

• Convincing

  • John 16:10 - Revealing the truth about Jesus

• Condemning

  • John 16:11

  • 1 Corinthians 15:55-57

• Guiding Us in All Truth

  • John 16:12-13

  • John 14:26

The Trinity in Jesus’ Own Words

Message begins around 33:15

The Trinity in Jesus’ Own Words

Dave Riddle • 05/01/2022
Key Passage: John 14:16-31

The Father will give you a helper/counselor

• John 14:16

Jesus and the Holy Spirit

• John 14:17-18

  • You already know Him

  • I am coming to you

• Compare this to what Jesus said in the passage from last week.

Jesus and the Father

• (Last week) John 14:8-10

  • “You have seen the Father”

  • Jesus and the Father are one

• John 14:20-21

  • I am in my father and my father is in me.

Jesus’ call for us

• John 14:21 (John 14:15)

  • If you love Me, you will keep My commands.

    • Love = agapaō all four times in this passage.

  • (Matthew 28) obey… and teach others to do the same

    • If we don’t know his commands we can’t keep them, and we definitely can’t make and teach new disciples.

• John 14:23-24

  • …we will come to them and make Our home with them.

    • We are part of the kingdom of God right now!

      • Already, not yet.

  • Sent = pempō: dispatched or sent on an errand.

The Holy Spirit and Jesus

• John 14:26

  • But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit —the Father will send Him in My name—will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

    • How do we love Jesus? Keep his commands.

      • The Holy Spirit enables this by teaching and reminding us of the commands of Jesus.

• John 14:27

  • Peace = eirene: a state of tranquility, harmony, and safety. In a Christian context: the tranquil state of a soul, assured of its salvation, fearing nothing from God, content with their lot, whatever it might be.

Jesus and the Father

• John 14:30-31

Believe. How? Love. How? Live in obedience to his commands. How? Through the power of the Spirit.

Don’t Let Your Heart Be Troubled

Message begins around 32:30

Don’t Let Your Heart Be Troubled

Dave Riddle • 04/24/2022

Key Passage: John 14:1-15

Don’t let your heart be troubled

• John 14:1

  • Troubled = tarassō (Greek) - stirred up, agitated, inward commotion, to take away one’s calmness of mind.

• John 12:27 - “now my heart is troubled”

  • Jesus faced this too!

    • Not a sin issue.

The answer for a troubled heart

• John 14:1 - “believe in God, believe also in me “

  • Believe = pistueo (Greek): to think to be true. To be persuaded of; to place confidence in. To have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing). To believe.

I’ve got a spot for you 

• John 14:2-4

  • A place for you

  • “You will be with me!”

  • you know the way to where I am going.

Wait… where are you going?

• John 14:5 (HCSB): “Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where You’re going. How can we know the way?”

  • Thomas sets it up on tee for Jesus

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life

• John 14:6

  • No one comes to the Father except through Jesus

Know and See

• John 14:7

  • Know = ginōskō: to know experiential, in contrast to oida, which means to know intuitively or perceive.

  • See = horaō - to stare at. to see, i.e. become acquainted with by experience, to experience.

They Miss the Point

• John 14:8

  • They still don’t get it.

• John 14:9

  • Philip… you still don’t know me?

  • The one who has seen (horaō) me has seen the Father.

• John 14:10-11

  • There is such a close relationship between Jesus and the father that you can’t separate them.

A Surprising Promise

• John 14:12 - Don’t miss this!

  • The one who believes in me will do even greater works than me.

    • Not exclusively referring to miracles, but instead referring to the entirety of His life.

    • Why? The Holy Spirit is coming.

      • The impact of the ministry of the church goes worldwide as a result of the power of the Spirit.

I Will Do It

• John 14:13-14

  • Ask in my name, and I will do it.

    • Jesus is not a divine vending machine or our personal Genie.

    • When we are aligned with Jesus’ mission and motives and allow God to use us He will do incredible things.

Keep My Commands

• John 14:15 - if you love me, you will keep my commands.

  • Keep = tēreō - to attend to carefully, take care of.

How often do we stress over things that have little eternal significance?

• Everything we do is rooted in our faith and trust in Jesus as leader of our life.

Peace With God

Message begins around the 41 minute mark

Peace With God

01/16/2021 - Dave Riddle 

Key Passage: Romans 5:1-9

Undivided in our relationship with God 

Declared Righteous

• Romans 5:1

• Our sin separates us from God

  • But we have been declared righteous!

• Romans 5:9

  • Not by our own action, but by His blood.

Peace With God!

• Romans 5:1 - Peace

  • …we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

  • 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.

• Colossians 1:19 - 20

  • Peace through His sacrifice on the cross.

• Peace with each other is impossible if we don’t first have peace with God.

By God’s Grace

• Romans 5:2

• Ephesians 3:12

Rejoice 

• Romans 5:2b-4

  • Rejoice in the hope

  • Rejoice in our afflictions

Even when it’s hard

• Romans 5:2b-4

  • Affliction produces endurance

  • Endurance produces proven character

  • Proven character produces hope

Undivided in our commitment to Him

• You can’t serve two masters

• To the Rich Young Ruler: “you lack one thing” …it was the only thing.

  • Take up your cross and follow Jesus.

• John 14:15 - if you love me, you will keep my commands

Overflowing

• Romans 5:5 - God’s love has been poured out…

  • Overflows, gushes!

    • Do we respond in kind?

What are the things in our lives that are keeping us from living undivided for God?

• “There’s nothing I hold onto”

Peace - God in Our Midst

Peace - God in Our Midst
12/27/20 - Dave Riddle
Key Passage: Isaiah 9:6

Prince of Peace

• Shalom: a very broad term that means health, security, tranquility, good condition, success, comfort and more. An unconcerned state of peacefulness.

  • Matthew 10:34-39 - do not suppose that I have come to bring peace...

    • Jesus is our number one priority, and that will lead to division.

• eirene: a national state of tranquility, harmony, and safety. In a Christian context: the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation

Confidence

• John 16:33 - you are going to have suffering, but you can have confidence because Jesus has conquered the world!

Rest

• Matthew 11:29 - Take up my yoke and you will find rest.

(Re)Connection

• Romans 5:1 - since we have been justified we have peace with God through Jesus.

Invitation (A Gift)

• John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.

• Philippians 4:7 - peace that surpasses all understanding.

Challenge (A Calling)

• Colossians 3:15 - let the peace of Christ rule in your heart, as members of one body you were called to peace.

• Romans 12:18 - as much as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

• Hebrews 12:14 - pursue peace with everyone.

Orientation (A Fruit) 

• Galatians 5:22-23 - peace is a fruit of the Spirit, not something we can create or attain on our own.

Peace be with you!

Look Up

Look Up

This is a season of reset

Helping people follow Jesus together

• Help people become like Jesus 

  • Luke 6:40

• Walking as He walked

  • 1 John 2:6

Our Up Relationship is Prime

• Mark 12:30

Worship 

• Romans 12:1

• The heart of worship is loving God with our entire being.

• Latreia (Greek: λατρεία) - worship or service. To kiss (in the same way a dog licks its master). To revere, to adore.

• John 4:24 - worship

  • Proskyneo (Greek: προσκυνέω) - to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence

• Revelation 19:4

Our Worship is a Response 

• 1 John 4:19 - we love because he first loved us.

Our Worship Must be Real

• Mark 7:6 - Honoring God with our hearts, not just our lips. 

• 1 Samuel 15:22 - obedience not sacrifice

You are Loved 

• 1 John 3:1 - You are His child!

The Life You Live

• John 14:15 - love results in obedience

• 1 John 5:3a - keep His commands

• Acts 13:22 - a person aligned with God’s heart.

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?

Hello My Name is... Wonderful Counselor

Hello my name is: Wonderful Counselor

Dave Riddle - 12/01/19

Key Passage: Isaiah 9:6

Counselor

• ya’ats (Hebrew: יָעַץ) - to advise, counsel, admonish, direct, resolve, decide, plan and/or purpose. To counsel together; to be advised.

  • Isaiah 9:6 - “counselor”

  • First usage: Exodus - Moses meets with his father-in-law to seek advice.

Wonderful

• pele’ (Hebrew: פֶּלֶא) - a miracle, a wonder; a wonderful thing or deed.

  • Isaiah 9:6 - “Wonderful”

  • Other than a single time in the book of Lamentations, it always appears in the context of God’s acts or words. 37 of the 84 occurrences of pele’ are found in the Psalms.

What kind of Wonderful Counselor?

Other-worldly

• John 12:49 - He came with divine wisdom from Heaven itself

• John 14:10 - He spoke with authority of God

Authoritative

• Mark 1:21-22 - He taught with an authority unlike anything the world had seen.

• Luke 4:32 - The people were amazed... slack-jawed

  • ekplēssō (Greek: ἐκπλήσσω) - to be struck with amazement, astonished, amazed

Piercing & Gentle

• Piercing

  • Matthew 16:23

  • Matthew 23:27

• Gentle

  • John 8:7-11

Inviting & Challenging

• Mark 1:17 - “come, follow me”

  • Not just a call, but a purpose.

    • “And I’ll show you how to fish for people”

• Mark 3:13-14

  • With Him, and Sent Out

Truth

• John 14:6 - “I am... the truth”

• John 1:14 - truth in the flesh

Life-giving

• John 14:6- The truth AND the life.

• John 4:4-14 - living water!

Infinite

• Luke 21:33 - His words will never pass away.

• 1 Peter 1:24-25 - the Good News remains forever.

Up (Our Father)

A Family on Mission - Up (Our Father)

Dave Riddle - 06/16/19

Key Passage: Acts 13:22

The most important thing

• Mark 12:28-30

Captured by the concept of worship

• Romans 12:1

A rhythmic response to God’s self-revelation

• 1 John 4:19 - “we love because He first loved us...”

A matter of our hearts

• Mark 7:6

—-—-—-

David

• 1 Samuel 16:7

  • “...the Lord looks at the heart”

• Acts 12:22

  • “...a man after my own heart”

  • We are called to align our hearts with God’s heart.

Allow God to be first

• Philippians 3:7-14

• Make God the object and pursuit of your life.

Rely on God’s power

• 1 Samuel 17

• Romans 8:11 - the same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in you!

Rest in His authority

Live in full transparency

• Psalm 139 - you have searched me and know me.

Two Outcomes

1. We are loved

   • The creator of the universe loves you!

   • 1 John 3:1 - his love is so great that we are called His children!

2. Called to live in obedience!

   • John 14:15 - if we love God we will desire to keep His commands.

A Strong Word to Would-Be Followers

He Set His Face - A Strong Word to Would-Be Followers

Dave Riddle - 03/24/19

Key Passage: Luke 14:25-34

Luke 9:51 - When the days were coming to a close for Him to be taken up, He set His face resolutely towards Jerusalem. 

• Resolute: purposefully unwavering or determined.

5 Examples to Illustrate 5 Marks of a Follower

1. Family: Love Jesus Supremely

   • Luke 14:26

   • Jesus uses hyperbole to show that nothing should rival the love we have for God.

   • If Jesus is the absolute priority of your life everything else will fall into place.

2. A Cross: Live to Die

   • Luke 14:27

   • Galatians 2:20

   • I no longer live but Christ lives in me

   • Our old self has to die.

3. A Building: All in, to the very end

   • Luke 14:28-30

   • From your entire life, for your entire life.

   • In every facet of life.

4. A War: Surrender to the more powerful king

   • Luke 14:31-33

   • It’s not about winning, it’s about surrendering.

   • How much confidence do you have in your own resources?

   • John 14:27 - Peace eirēnē (Greek: εἰρήνη) - a state of rest, denoting the absence or end of strife. It refers to a state of untroubled, I disturbed well-being. Peace; a state of natural tranquility. 

5. Salt: Reality matches identity

   • Luke 14:34-35

   • Are we marked by our decision to follow Jesus?