Thankful (Part 5)

(Psalm 117)

Thankful I Can Give Thanks to the Lord

Introduction: Today, we’re diving into the shortest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 117. But don’t let its size fool you— This is a very powerful Psalm.

There is some mystery about the Psalm, for example…

Listening Guide – Thankful (Part 5)

Service and Sermon – Thankful (Part 5)

Thankful (Part 4)

(1 John 5:18)

Thankful I Am protected from the Evil One

 Introduction: We are currently in a sermon series I have entitled “Thankful.”

Today I want to remind us, to be thankful we are protected from the evil one! To understand what this means, we’re diving into the last few verses of 1 John, a book written to encourage believers and assure them of their identity and security in Jesus. Dr. Jerry Vines writes: “John writes this short letter so that we might never be in the dark about matters crucial to our salvation.” The certainty of our salvation is based on what God has said in His word, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. (1 Jn 5:11) We have in the word of God a firm foundation on which to build our confidence. So, when a child of God understands that our salvation and security does not depend on our feelings or on our self-effort, but rather upon what God has done in Christ; we can accept what God says about that, then the assurance comes! In our text today the Apostle John reassures us of three truths that every believer needs.

Listening Guide – Thankful (Part 4)

Thankful (3)

(Romans 8:1-2)

Thankful I Am Different

Introduction: Today, I want to talk about what it means to be thankful to be “in Christ” and how and why that makes us very different people today.

Listening Guide – Thankful (Part 3)

Service and Sermon – Thankful (Part 3)

Thankful (Part 2)

(Isaiah 54:14)

Thankful to be Free from Oppression and Fear

Introduction: Nowhere in scripture will you see a clearer picture of the horrible price that was paid for our redemption than in Isaiah chapters 50 – 53. These chapters speak of the anguish our Savior, Jesus endured as He paid for our sin as the servant of the Lord. (Isa 50:6; 52:14; 53:3, 7, 12) This is an amazing and yet difficult picture to take in… But then we come to Isaiah 54, and after the hard description of our Lord’s suffering, comes God’s call to Israel to rejoice in her future. The message of Isaiah 54:14 is a message about being established in righteousness and being free from fear and oppression. The powerful promise in the message of Isaiah 54:14 is, when we walk in the righteousness of God, He gives us a life free from oppression, fear, and terror. I want us to consider three truths about how the greatness of our God should free us from oppression and fear and instead fill us with gratitude.

Listening Guide – Thankful (Part 2)

Service and Sermon – Thankful (Part 2)

Thankful (Part 1)

(Ephesians 2:5)

Thankful to be Alive in Christ

Introduction: We begin a new sermon series this morning, I have entitled, “Thankful.” As we are entering that thanksgiving season, I want to remind us of some things we are to be so thankful for. Today, I want to remind us of what it means to be thankful we are alive in Christ, and what exactly that means.

There are only 2 spheres of existence: in Adam, or in Christ. There is NO third option, no neutral ground. In Adam all died spiritually (Rom. 5:12). But now comes heaven’s counterattack: Because of Adam’s trespass, many died; because of Christ’s obedience the grace of God abounds to many bringing life. (Rom 5:15, 18).

Paul here in our text introduces the most astounding interruption in human history in verse 4, “But.” “But God is rich in mercy! He has intervened in the destiny of man; He has interrupted the doom of death and judgment and made us alive in Christ!

If you are in Christ today, you can be thankful to be alive in Christ! What does this mean?

Listening Guide – Thankful (Part 1)

Service and Sermon – Thankful (Part 1)