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Weekly sermons from our Pastor, Barry Wilkinson.
Episodes
Wednesday Nov 06, 2019
Wednesday Nov 06, 2019
Series: God's Design for the Church
Sermon: To Fellowship
Scripture: Hebrews 3:13
Date: October 27, 2019
**Please forgive us; the first part of the sermon was not recorded. We hope that you enjoy and are challenged by what you hear today!**
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. (Hebrews 3:13)
"The church helps us fulfill our five deepest needs in life. He gives us a purpose to live for, people to live with, principles to live by, profession to live out, and power to live on." -Rick Warren
Let's see three important areas we can help each other as we live together as God's family:
- God designed us to help each other with His profession
- Every human being is created by God, but not everyone is a child of God.
- Mark 3:33-35
- Ephesians 1:5, MSG
- Galatians 6:10, NCV
- Romans 14:19, NLT
- Four of the ten commandments are about our relationship with God, and the other six are about our relationship with each other; so all ten are about relationships.
- "Fellowship is a place of grace, where mistakes aren't rubbed in but rubbed out. Fellowship happens when mercy wins over justice." -Rick Warren
- God designed us to help each other with His purpose
- The Bible says we are put together, joined together, built together, members together, heirs together, fitted together, and held together.
- "The person who says, 'I don't need the church,' is either arrogant or ignorant." -Rick Warren
- "Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other?" -A. W. Tozer
- God designed us to help each other with His power
- Just one in three 18-35 year-olds tell Barna they often feel deeply cared for by those around them (33%) or that someone believes in them (32%).
- A church family will help keep you from backsliding.
Saturday Nov 02, 2019
Saturday Nov 02, 2019
Sermon: Calvinism/Arminianism Issues
Scripture: John 3:16; Ephesians 1:4
Date: October 20, 2019
Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame. (Ephesians 1:4)
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
John Calvin (1509-1564) - God chooses us
Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609) - We choose God
Traditional Calvinism has 5 points that can be summarized with the acronym TULIP:
- Total depravity
- People are so depraved & rebellious that they are unable to trust God without His special work of grace to change their hearts so that they necessarily and willingly, freely, believe.
- John 6:44
- John 6:65
- Ephesians 2:1
- Unconditional election
- God chooses unconditionally whom he will mercifully bring to faith and whom he will justly leave in their rebellion.
- John 6:37
- Romans 9:11
- Acts 13:48
- To the non-elect God withholds this monergistic (a work that He independently does) work of grace, passing them by and leaving them to themselves.
- Limited atonement
- John 10:15
- John 10:27-28
- Irresistible grace
- If God has ordained someone to be saved there is no way you will be able to resist or reject the grace of God.
- Romans 8:30
- 1 Peter 1:3
- Perseverance of the Saints
- If you are a born again, true believer you will indeed persevere to the end, and you will not permanently and finally fall away.
- John 5:24
- Ephesians 4:30
Arminianism:
- Free will
- Every sinner has the power to choose to believe in Jesus
- Romans 10:13
- Acts 2:21
- Conditional election
- The sinner's choice of Christ, not God's choice of sinner, is the ultimate cause of salvation.
- God has foreknown from eternity which individuals would believe in Christ.
- Romans 8:29
- John 5:24
- Why do evangelism and missions if God has elected whom He will and save them regardless?
- General atonement
- 1 John 2:2
- John 3:16
- Resistible grace
- A person can resist or reject the Spirit.
- 2 Peter 3:9
- Hebrews 3:7
- Isaiah 55:1, NIV
- To me, the Bible is a big invitation for us to come to God. I hear God weeping over the people to come. Why weep if they can't?
- Falling from grace
- A person is in control as to if they want to be saved or not at any point.
- Matthew 24:13
- 2 Peter 2:20-22
There are seemingly contradictory things about God that are true that don't seem like they can be true.
We are to take no credit for being saved. All glory goes to God.
We must choose to be saved. It is our responsibility.
We are to be on mission with God.
Sunday Oct 27, 2019
Sunday Oct 27, 2019
Series: God's Design for the Church
Sermon: To Worship
Scripture: Psalm 95:1-7a
Date: October 20, 2019
Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the heights of the hills are His also. The sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand. (Psalm 95:1-7a)
Biblical worship is the full-life response - head, heart, and hands - to who God is and what He has done.
The use of the word worship in the Hebrew is the verb "sharjah" which means "to bow down, to prostrate oneself" or to "lay flat on the ground"
"The smile of God is the goal of your life." -Rick Warren
Let's see three things about worship that pleases God:
- God is pleased with truthful worship
- Psalm 95:2
- John 4:23-24
- God is pleased with transparent worship
- Psalm 95:1-2
- John 4:23-24
- 1 Samuel 16:7b
- "God smiles when we love Him supremely. God smiles when we trust Him completely. God smiles when we obey Him wholeheartedly. God smiles when we praise and thank Him continually. God smiles when we use our abilities." -Rich Warren
- The heart of worship is surrender.
- Transparent worship is not just about being real about where you are but also about being where you want to be.
- God is pleased with thoughtful worship
- Psalm 95:3
- Did God get anything out of church today? Did He get anything out of my worship and your worship?
- Everything you do out of love for Jesus is worship.
WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Is God getting anything out of my worship today?
Wednesday Oct 23, 2019
Wednesday Oct 23, 2019
Series: Moses - An Unlikely Choice
Sermon: Life Lessons From Moses
Scripture: Hebrews 11:23-28
Date: October 13, 2019
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. (Hebrews 11:23-28)
The big deal in this series is to be a person God uses.
Here are three big deals that Moses shows to help us be a person that God can use:
- Live a life that matters
- Here are three ways to live a life that matters:
- Don't compromise your most important commitments
- Hebrews 11:28-29
- Be open to leaving the familiar
- Be ready to do the unusual
- Numbers 14:30
- Don't compromise your most important commitments
- Here are three ways to live a life that matters:
- Live your life everyday to the end
- Too many people die before they are dead.
- Every man dies, not every man truly lives.
- Here are 2 keys to living days that matter:
- Pople involvement
- Numbers 11:28
- Gospel investment
- 1 Peter 1:24-25
- Pople involvement
- Live like you will keep on living
- Deuteronomy 34:1, NIV
- Deuteronomy 34:5-7
- Deuteronomy 34:10-12
- Joshua 1:2, NIV
- Numbers 11:28
Sunday Oct 20, 2019
Sunday Oct 20, 2019
Series: God's Design for the Church
Sermon: Who's Running This Show?
Scripture: Colossians 1:18
Date: October 13, 2019
And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)
If Jesus is not in charge of you and me, then He is not in charge of the church.
Here are three good reasons we should seek to truly have Jesus as the Head of the Church at Hopewell:
- He has the best plan
- Colossians 1:14
- We are fully known and fully loved by God
- Colossians 1:15
- Jesus has much to give to His body as our Head:
- Direction
- Usefulness
- Love
- God's plans are too good to miss.
- He has the most power
- Colossians 1:17
- He is to be preeminent
- Colossians 1:18
- In every area of life, Jesus is to come first!
- He is the most important one to be raised from the dead.
- His resurrection assures our salvation. Because He was raised from the dead, never to die again, we know that all of our sins have been completely paid for.
- Jeremiah 32:40-41
- "The stunning implication of this discovery is that all the omnipotent energy that drives the heart of God to pursue His own glory also drives Him to satisfy the hearts of those who seek their joy in Him." -John Piper
WEEKLY GROWTH SUGGESTION: Talk with someone about how you and Hopewell can do a better job of making much of Jesus.
Wednesday Oct 09, 2019
Wednesday Oct 09, 2019
Series: Moses - An Unlikely Choice
Sermon: Arresting Anger
Scripture: Numbers 20:7-12
Date: September 29, 2019
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals." So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?" Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." (Numbers 20:7-12)
Anger is not always a sin. The Bible says to be angry and sin not.
I want us to see three things that will help us allow God to arrest our ungodly anger, three things that will help us give our anger to God:
- Heart
- "Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one." -Ben Franklin
- Harm
- Anger is harmful to your health
- Studies argue that regular feelings of anger increase the likelihood for heart disease, and that within two hours of an outburst, the chance of a heart attack or stroke skyrocket
- Anger is harmful to the people around you
- Sin can be forgiven but often leaves consequences. This is especially true with anger.
- There are 6 deadly steps to anger: Bitterness > Rage > Anger > Brawling > Slander > Malice
- Anger is harmful to your health
- Helps
- Count to 10; take a breather; take a walk; talk to a friend
- Admit & analyze it
- Repent
- Forgive
- Forgiving does not mean:
- it was not a big deal.
- they get away with it.
- you were not hurt.
- forgetting.
- saying that it didn't matter.
- pretending it didn't happen.
- it is the same as reconciling.
- What forgiveness is:
- letting it go & saying 'you don't owe me anything'
- canceling the debt of one who has sinned again you by promising not to bring it up to the offender, to others, or to yourself
- treating that person like God wants you to treat them.
Sunday Oct 06, 2019
Sunday Oct 06, 2019
Series: God's Design for the Church
Sermon: The Church's Mission
Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20
Date: September 29, 2019
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)
The mission of Hopewell Baptist Church is to glorify God by having a great commitment (Luke 9:23) to the Great Commandment (Mark 12:29-31) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).
WEEKLY GROWTH SUGGESTION: Talk to someone about what the mission of Hopewell means to you and for you.
Let's see three things that Jesus wants His church to be all about:
- Evangelize the skeptic
- Matthew 4:19
- Jesus has called us to be fishers of men, not merely keepers of the aquarium.
- Romans 3:23
- Romans 6:23
- Romans 5:8
- Romans 10:9-10
- The reason the church is so important is that it does (God does through it) what nobody else does.
- Edify the saved
- What helps you in loving peoples hat are different?
- What helps you to forgive people?
- What helps you to share your faith?
- What helps you in your prayer life?
- Exalt the Savior
- 1 Corinthians 10:31
- God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him.
Wednesday Oct 02, 2019
Wednesday Oct 02, 2019
Series: Moses - An Unlikely Choice
Sermon: Arresting Anger
Scripture: Numbers 20:7-12
Date: September 22, 2019
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Take the rod; you and your bother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals." So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?" Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them." (Numbers 20:7-12)
The sin that kept him and the rest of the people out was unbelief.
I want us to see three things that will help us to allow God to arrest our anger, that will help us to give our anger to God:
- Heart
- Exodus 11:8
- Exodus 32:15-16
- Exodus 32:19
- Exodus 32:16
- Exodus 32:20
- Exodus 34:1
- The unbelief here is manifested as anger. The outcome of unbelief is anger.
- We get very self-centered when we are angry.
- This sin tainted God's glory (v. 12).
- "The opposite of this anger is not self control...[it's] humility." -Tim Keller
- Anger is being released because you, in your pride, are trying to control an uncontrollable universe.
- I'm either a moral failure or I am loved; I can't be both. The gospel says you can be both.
- "Anger is never without a reason, but seldom with a good one." -Ben Franklin
- "Anger is actually a form of love. Anger is love in motion to deal with a treat to someone or something we truly care about." -Tim Keller
- Harm
- Anger is harmful to your health.
- Anger is harmful to the people around you.
- Sin can be forgiven but often leaves consequences; this is especially true with anger.
- There are 6 deadly steps of anger:
- Bitterness
- Rage
- Anger
- Brawling
- Slander
- Malice
- Help
- A few practical helps:
- count to 10
- take a breather (10 deep breaths)
- take a walk
- talk to a friend
- Admit and analyze it
- Repent
- Forgive
- Forgiveness doesn't mean it wasn't a big deal, they will get away with it, or you were not hurt.
- It is not forgetting; it is not saying it didn't matter; it is not pretending it did not happen; and it is not the same thing as reconciling.
- Forgiveness is letting it go and saying "You don't owe me anything."
- Forgiveness is canceling the debt of one who has sinned agains us by promising not to bring it up to the offender, to others, or to ourselves.
- Forgiveness is treating that person like God wants you to treat them.
- A few practical helps:
WEEKLY CHALLENGE: When you are tempted to get angry this week, ask yourself if you are loving something more than God and His glory.
Sunday Sep 29, 2019
Sunday Sep 29, 2019
Good morning! We were so blessed to have Bro. Terrence Jones speak for us this morning. Bro. Terrence is the Senior Pastor at Strong Tower church in the Washington Park area of Montgomery, AL. We hope that you are as blessed by Bro. Terrence's message as we were!
Sunday Sep 22, 2019
Sunday Sep 22, 2019
Series: Christ Through Me
Sermon: Taking Sides or Taking Over
Scripture: Joshua 5:13-15
Date: September 15, 2019
LAST WEEK'S WEEKLY GROWTH SUGGESTION: When you have an opportunity to do/say something you believe God wants you to, praying something like this: "Lord, I trust You to live Your life through me right here." Read chapter 10 in "The Saving Life of Christ" this week.
And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?" So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my Lord say to His servant?" Then the Commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, "Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy." And Joshua did so. (Joshua 5:13-15)
Let's discover some big deals as we conclude the series but hopefully grow in allowing Christ to live His life through me:
- Pattern
- The big deal is that He is our pattern and our power.
- Why: God told me to
How: God is with me, in me, and will live through me. - "As you have learned to thank Him for His death, so you thank Him for His life, humbly assuming that He lives in you, as you have already humbly assumed that He died for you." -Ian Thomas
- Joshua 1:9
- John 8:29a
- Joshua 2:9-11, NIV
- Practice
- Joshua 3:10-11
- "In so many words, Joshua said, "You have been living for forty years int he wilderness as though your God were dead, but you are going to live from now on knowing that your God is alive." -Ian Thomas
- "Suppose God were to die tonight - would it make any difference in the way you live your Christian life tomorrow?" -Ian Thomas
- Revelation 3:1b, NIV
- Joshua 3:4b, NLT
- Exodus 14:21
- Joshua 3:15-16a
- Why did they do this? How did this work? How was this accomplished?
- Power
- John 5:19
- Joshua 5:13-14
- The question is not: "Is God on our side?" The question is: "Are we on God's side?"
WEEKLY GROWTH SUGGESTION: Live with this reality this week:
Why: God told me to
How: God is with me, in me, and will live through me.
Finish reading "The Saving Life of Christ."