Harris Creek Baptist Church

Has there ever been a time in your life when the last thing you want to do is the very thing that will make you well? As we continue our series, BC, Nate Hilgenkamp teaches us the story of Naaman from 2 Kings 5.KEY TAKEAWAYS-A diagnosis removes distractions.-Throughout Scripture, sin is compared to and very like leprosy. They both start small, but they always grow and they always lead to death.-Sadly and too often, the diagnosis of sin in our lives doesn’t remove distractions. This shouldn’t be!-What diagnosis would be more distracting to you: leprosy or sin?-Pride prevents a cure.-How often do your disappointments and frustrations with God have to do with what you thought would happen not happening?-Our missed expectations lead to our biggest disappointments.-Make no mistake, pride will kill you. It’s far more deadly than leprosy.-Healing requires humility.-Submitting yourself to God’s commandments and ways when you don’t understand is often when He chooses to heal us.-To understand why, submit and apply.-Jesus is the cure we need. He alone. That’s it.-Admitting your brokenness and need for Jesus is the only thing you need to get to Him. All you need is need.MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture Study: 2 Kings 5:1-19; James 1:15; James 4:6-Sermon: Daniel and the Lion’s Den

When was the last time your faith was tested? Have you seen someone be faithful in the midst of difficulty or persecution? As we continue our series, BC, Trent Horner teaches us about faithfulness by examining the story of Daniel and the lion’s den in Daniel 6.KEY TAKEAWAYS-Faithfulness stands out.-Daniel had a track record of faithfulness. He was loyal and consistent.-If someone were trying to dig up something against you, what would they find? How would they take you down?-Faithfulness stands firm.-When we are squeezed or pressed, what’s really inside comes out.-Where are you prone to not stand firm in your life? Where do you lack faithfulness?-Daniel’s decision about what to do when pressed was easy because the decision had already been made long before he was pressed.-What are you committed to in life?-If difficulty and persecution come your way, what will you do?-Daniel had a track record of faithfulness, and yet, he still got thrown into the lion’s den.-What are the things in your life that only make sense because you are a follower of Jesus?-Sin never gets the last laugh.-God’s faithfulness stands forever.-Are you living a life that is devoted and dedicated to faith?-Who is your community? Who are the people in your life that you practice the one another’s of Scripture with?MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture Study: Daniel 6; Colossians 3:23; 1 John 1:7; Proverbs 3:5-6-Sermon: Adam and Eve

Where have you become comfortable giving into temptation? Where have you normalized sin instead of resisting it? As we continue our series, BC, JP teaches us about the first ever temptation and sin.KEY TAKEAWAYS-“Did God really say?” is the first lie in the Bible.-The first act of legalism in the Bible happens in Genesis 3.-The consideration of sin is temptation.-Temptation causes you to question what God says.-Do you trust God? This is the question temptation always asks you.-Tests are external. Temptation happens between your ears. -Self love, self care, and the thought that you should be God are some of the most prevalent lies in our country today.-Beware of being under attack when you are hungry, tired, lonely, or discontent. You will be much more susceptible in those moments.-Satan’s offers are always counterfeit and always costly.-God’s Word is your greatest weapon against temptation.-Trust yourself the least when you really, really want something.-When you choose to spend money or do something and you are trying to discern what the Bible would have you do, ask questions that uncover your motives. Questions that uncover what else you could do if you did something else.-The consequence of sin is death.-Sin is an archery term, and it means missing God’s mark.-How do you know if something is sin? Anything you do that is not from faith is sin (Romans 14:23).-Don’t confuse confession with repentance. Confession is acknowledging your sin; repentance is turning from it.-Work existed before the fall, but now it’s hard because of sin.-The cure for sin is Jesus.-The first gospel shows up in Genesis 3.-Because of Jesus, we always have a way out. We don’t have to sin anymore.-You can not grow closer to Jesus while indulging in sin.-Where has your heart grown hard? Where are you no longer resisting temptation and sin?MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture Study: Genesis 2:15-18; Genesis 3; Romans 14:23; James 1:14-15; Romans 5:17-19; 1 Corinthians 15:45, 10:13; Revelation 21:1-5, 22:1-3-Sermon: Strings Attached-Sermon: Moses and the Burning Bush

Have you ever quit something because you felt like a failure? Have you ever failed at something over and over and over again? As we continue our series, BC, Nate Hilgenkamp examines the life of Moses, teaching us how God is not done with us until our dying breath.KEY TAKEAWAYS-God delights in delivering us.-Moses thought his failure was final.-We all pass along what we believe about God by the words we use and how we live our lives.-Do your words teach others that things will always stay the same or that God can change things?-No one is permanently stuck or too far gone for God. No one.-God fights for our freedom.-Over and over God draws Moses out of danger and persecution. -Moses means “drawn up,” which is exactly what God did to Moses himself and what He used Moses to do for the Israelites.-God flips Moses’ focus.-Moses was so consumed with himself and his own failures, not on God and who He is and what He can do.-Stop looking at yourself and your failures and start looking at God.-What are you prone to focus on above God?-Your perceived sense of independence is crushing you.-The only way to experience freedom is giving up and giving God control of your life.-Beware of having a “someone else” mindset and faith. It is selfish and not of the Lord.-Moses was mopey, Jesus was eager. Which one are you more prone to being like?-Will you say yes to what God has for you? Will you submit to Him?MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture Study: Exodus 2:11-3:12; Psalm 40:2; Exodus 4:11-13; Hebrews 3:1-3-Sermon: Abraham & Isaac

Are you ever confused when you read the Old Testament? Is it ever messy and hard to understand? As we start our new series, BC (Before Christ), Derek Davidson shows us how all of Scripture points to Christ. Specifically, he examines the story of Abraham and Isaac.KEY TAKEAWAYS-God tests us to reveal our faith.-Abraham failed multiple tests throughout his life; however, God continued to use Abraham and fulfill His promises to him. That’s the God we serve.-What’s the one thing you don’t want God to ask you to do? To give up?-What in your life has your trust and loyalty more than God?-This story reveals God’s character.-In the Old Testament, other people and cultures would sacrifice their children to their gods. That’s not the God we serve!-What false god are you prone to worship: gossip, pride, pornography, materialism, money, work, accomplishments, comfort, food? What is it for you?-The whole Old Testament reveals Jesus.-Throughout the Old Testament, God in His sovereignty points to Jesus time and time and time again.-There are many, many similarities between Isaac and Jesus.-When we are tested by God, it’s an invitation to join Him and His story and what He is up to.-What invitations from God are you missing out on?-Whatever test you are facing, because of Christ, you can trust Him. He will provide.MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture Study: Genesis 22:1-14; Hebrews 11:17-19; Mark 10:17-31; 2 Kings 3:26-27; Leviticus 18:21

Have you ever been in a tough place brought on by your own decisions? Have you wondered how you got there? Was it all at once, or over a period of time? Scott Kedersha teaches us about temptation and sin by examining the adulterous woman in Proverbs 7.KEY TAKEAWAYS-Walk in the way.-As Christians, we want to protect the teachings and the way of the Scriptures.-We should be cautious of anything that distracts or pulls us from the way of Christ.-Don’t fall into the trap of learning a lot about God and the Bible and simply becoming a smarter sinner.-Do not be led astray.-Do your friends lead you more toward sin or God?-Where are you most tempted? What do you think will bring you life outside of God?-We all struggle with sin. All of us. Don’t buy the lie that you are alone and the only one who struggles.-Sin always over promises and under delivers. Always.-Know what’s at stake.-Affairs don’t start in hotel rooms. They start when you decide to keep things from your spouse. They are one thousand small decisions leading to one big decision.-Know where you are tempted. Know your ditches and how the enemy will take you out. Have a death grip on these things.

Think of the closest relationships in your life. How have they changed over time? What about your relationship with God? Has it ever drifted? As we finish our two-week series, Far from the Father, JP teaches us about the sins of the older brother and the Pharisees from Luke 15.KEY TAKEAWAYS-Do you find yourself short-tempered or frustrated when things don’t go your way? Do you find it difficult to celebrate the success of others? Do you enjoy God?-The Pharisees were the most religious people when Jesus walked the earth; and yet, throughout all the gospels, Jesus had the most issues with them and used the strongest language against them.-Jesus brilliantly puts people into stories He tells to teach them the truth they need to hear.-A telltale sign of a Pharisee is they focus on what God hasn’t done.-If you take pharisaical sins lightly they will kill you. They will destroy your life.-Anger is a sign you’ve drifted from the Father.-The opposite of the fruit of the Spirit is anger.-The foundation of most anger is arrogance. It’s thinking you know better than God. It’s what happened to and made the devil the devil.-“Worry is being fearful that God is going to get it wrong and bitterness is believing that He did.” -Tim Keller-Anger is not a personality. You must understand: your bitterness makes you a really miserable person and hard to be around.-Jesus got angry at the Pharisees. He was never mad at the prostitutes and the tax collectors. It was the religious elite. The self-righteous.-The greatest thing you can do when you feel anger toward someone is to come close to them. Pull them in. Sit them down at your table and get to know them.-Your pride will always want to tell someone how awesome you are.-Pride is a sign you’ve drifted from the Father.-God doesn’t need your help.-God came here to serve you.-Yes, use your gifts and talents to serve the church. However, make no mistake, God doesn’t need you.-Are you working for God, or are you working from the knowledge that He has given you everything?-Do you expect to get something in return from God? That’s slave (employee) talk. Not son or daughter talk.-You can’t be grateful for what you feel entitled to.-Envy is a sign you’ve drifted from the Father.-When you think you are owed something you will envy someone with it.-What do you deserve? Do you fully grasp that you have an eternal inheritance coming your way? Make no mistake, as Christ-followers, you will miss out on things here and now.-This life is like the snap of two fingers. It will be over and gone before you know it.-All relationships take work. Good marriages aren’t found, they are forged through hardships.-In your relationship with God, don’t do the same thing(s) over and over and over again expecting the same results. Change things up. Be creative.-God doesn’t move on us. He doesn’t go anywhere. We are the ones that drift. He’s always looking for you.MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture Study: Luke 15:22-32; Galatians 5:22-23; Psalm 16:11; Nehemiah 8:10; Acts 17:24-25; Mark 10:45; Galatians 4:7-Sermon: The Father’s Response to Rebellion and Repentance-Book: The Prodigal God by Tim Keller

What do you believe about God? Who and what has contributed to that belief? Are you sure you are right? As we start a new series, Far From the Father, JP teaches us about God by examining when Jesus taught about the Father in Luke 15. KEY TAKEAWAYS-“What comes to a person’s mind when they think about God is the most important thing about them.” -AW Tozer-When the gospels talk about “sinner” they are talking about a class of people. When they talk about “tax collectors” they are talking about people who took 85% and used part of the money to oppress the very people (the Jews) they took it from.-Asking your father for your inheritance in Bible times was the equivalent of saying, “Dad, I wish you were dead.”-Sometimes when we aren’t pursuing the Lord it makes all the sense in the world that we are experiencing a storm or a famine in our lives.-When you rebel, God will let you.-God wants you to know that life can be found in Him alone. Not possessions, money, experiences, or anything else. Only Him.-Read Romans chapter 1 for a commentary of what is happening in our culture today.-Do you really want God, or do you just want His stuff?-Most of us superstitiously approach God, trying to say our prayers just right, hoping to get what we want because what we want is not Him.-If you like what you got, keep doing what you are doing. But if you keep doing what you are doing, you are not going to like what you got.-Some of the richest and most “free” people in the world are the most depressed and anxious.-The Bible is brilliant, and the way you will miss the truths it teaches is by thinking you already have them.-Do you ever plan to pray rather than pray?-Do not be deceived: God has seen everything. The darkest perversions of your heart and everything you’ve ever done. He has seen and knows it all.-When you come to ruin, God hurts with you.-God isn’t hurt by you, but He hurts with you. The Son was hurt for you.-The way the world was designed by God is that sin will always have consequences. Eternally, because of Jesus, we are free. But on this earth, sin always has consequences.-God looks at you and He embraces you. He’s not scared of your filth.-Sometimes when you hurt in relationships, it’s good and healthy to create boundaries with those people. However, you need to understand that God doesn’t do that. He radically pursues you.-The number one metaphor for heaven is a party.-When you repent, God restores you.-What someone celebrates tells you a lot about them.-What do you celebrate? If you are a parent, what do you celebrate in your kids’ lives?-What does God celebrate? He celebrates repentance.-Repentance is owning whatever you did and taking the consequences as they come. It’s turning from your sin and turning to God. MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture Study: Luke 15:1-24; Romans 1-Book: The Prodigal God by Tim Keller

Extraordinary kids often come from extraordinary parents. Not always, but often. Whether you are single or married, have kids or don’t have kids, JP teaches us about the legacy of motherhood, which is really all about discipleship.KEY TAKEAWAYS-Live out your faith, and receive grace.-Faith is caught much more than it’s taught.-One of the worst things you can do as a parent is bring your kids to church “for them” if you aren’t also going for yourself. That type of hypocrisy will drive them away from the faith.-What you bring into your home will spread throughout the home. What are you bringing into your home?-Regardless of your past, you have a home in the church.-Extraordinary kids are the work of extraordinary grace. Parents often make the mistake of taking too much credit when things go well and too much blame when things go poorly.-God will often take your past and make it your platform. He takes your mess and makes it your message.-Let them go, and let them grow.-Set a spark in your kids’ life and surround them with the fire of Scripture, but then let them go and pray.-One of the best things you can do as a parent is to let your kids fail and learn from it.-God’s design is that kids would leave & cleave as they get older. -Other than the gospel, one of the greatest things you can give your young kids is boundaries. As they get older, that changes to boundaries around you.-When your kids are younger, you are the driver. As they get older, you become a road sign (a steady, unemotional reminder of the way to go).-Give the gift that keeps on giving.-You can’t give your kids the Holy Spirit, but you can give them the gospel.-Gospel simply means good news. The good news is that God sent His own Son, Jesus Christ, to live the perfect life you could never live and died the death that you deserve. His death was the perfect payment for your sins.-Good people don’t go to Heaven and bad people don’t go to hell. Forgiven people, people who trust the payment of Jesus Christ for their sins, go to heaven.-Husbands and fathers: ask your wife how you can better serve her. Sit on your hands, listen, and then do what she shares with you.-If you are single, you don’t have to wait to disciple kids. Some of the most influential mothers are not biological.MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture study: 2 Timothy 1:5-7; Philippians 2:19-23; 2 Timothy 3:13-15; Acts 16:1-3; 2 Timothy 1:6; Proverbs 22:6; Genesis 2:24

Who is the most discontent person you know? What about the most content person you know? What do you think accounts for the difference between the two? As we finish our sermon series, The Shepherd in the Psalm, JP teaches us about how God, The Shepherd, Provides. KEY TAKEAWAYS-The Shepherd provides peace.-Your Shepherd never sleeps or slumbers. He’s always watching over you.-The worst thing about hell might be the fact that you see what you are missing out on forever and ever and ever. It’s eternal FOMO (fear of missing out).-The end of Psalm 23 is like a giant exhale. It’s the reality that the sheep will be with the shepherd forever.-The Shepherd provides contentment.-So often, our biggest enemy is in-between our ears. It’s all the thoughts spinning in our head.-Why do we have a scarce mentality?-The Shepherd is our provision.-It’s not just that the Shepherd provides. That is true, but it’s incomplete. Everything we need is found in Him.-When you meet Jesus someday, will you know Him, or will He be a stranger to you?-If you don’t acknowledge you will spend eternity in heaven or hell, you are simply fooling yourself and being a fool by making this world your home.-The greatest thing you can do every single day for the rest of your life is to live fully surrendered to your Shepherd.-Much sooner than you think you will die and meet God face to face and face judgment.-Make no mistake, one day Jesus is coming back. Don’t be diluted by the things that you see, touch, and feel right now. MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture Study: Psalm 23:5-6; Psalm 121:1-4; Luke 16:22-23; Psalm 16:5; Luke 12:35-37; Isaiah 53:5-6; Psalm 100:3;-Sermon: The Shepherd Comforts and Protects-Sermon: The Good Shepherd