Victory Church Podcast

Big Idea: Unsurrendered idols cause us to act insane 1 Samuel 18:5-9 David marched out with the army and was successful in everything Saul sent him to do. Saul put him in command of the fighting men, which pleased all the people and Saul’s servants as well. 6 As the troops were coming back, when David was returning from killing the Philistine, the women came out from all the cities of Israel to meet King Saul, singing and dancing with tambourines, with shouts of joy, and with three-stringed instruments. 7 As they danced, the women sang: Saul has killed his thousands, but David his tens of thousands. 8 Saul was furious and resented this song. “They credited tens of thousands to David,” he complained, “but they only credited me with thousands. What more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 So Saul watched David jealously from that day forward. 1 Samuel 18:10-16 The next day an evil spirit sent from God came powerfully on Saul,and he began to rave inside the palace. David was playing the lyre as usual, but Saul was

Big Idea: We were created for intimate relationships 1 Samuel 18:1-4 When David had finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan was bound to David in close friendship, and loved him as much as he loved himself.2 Saul kept David with him from that day on and did not let him return to his father’s house. 3 Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as much as himself. 4 Then Jonathan removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his military tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.

BIG IDEA: WHEN YOU ARE IN CHRIST YOU ARE ALREADY VICTORIOUS 1 Samuel: 17:26b Just who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” KNOW YOUR ENEMY FACE YOUR ENEMY 1 Samuel 17:31-37a What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, so he had David brought to him. 32 David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged by[h] him; your servant will go and fight this Philistine!” 33 But Saul replied, “You can’t go fight this Philistine. You’re just a youth, and he’s been a warrior since he was young.” 34 David answered Saul: “Your servant has been tending his father’s sheep. Whenever a lion or a bear came and carried off a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it down, and rescued the lamb from its mouth. If it reared up against me, I would grab it by its fur, strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed lions and bears; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 Then David said, “

BIG IDEA: WE LOOK AT OUTWARD APPEARANCES BUT GOD LOOKS AT THE HEART 1 Samuel 13:14 but now your reign will not endure. The Lord has found a man after his own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over his people, because you have not done what the Lord commanded.” 1 Samuel 16:1-3 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem because I have selected a king from his sons.” 2 Samuel asked, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!” The Lord answered, “Take a young cow with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will let you know what you are to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate to you.” 1 Samuel 16:4-13a Samuel did what the Lord directed and went to Bethlehem. When the elders of the town met him, they trembled and asked, “Do you come in peace?” 5 “In peace,” he replied. “I’ve come

BIG IDEA: WE’RE CALLED TO CHASE AFTER GOD’S HEART NOT OUR OWN 1 Samuel 8:4-5 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have.” 1 Samuel 8:6-7 When they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” Samuel considered their demand wrong, so he prayed to the Lord. 7 But the Lord told him, “Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected me as their king. 1 Samuel 8:9-18 Listen to them, but solemnly warn them and tell them about the customary rights of the king who will reign over them.” 10 Samuel told all the Lord’s words to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “These are the rights of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and put them to his use in his chariots, on his horses, or running in front of his chariots. 12 He can appoint them for his use as

BIG IDEA: THROUGH JESUS WE HAVE VICTORY OVER DEATH 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 “Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time, he also appeared to me.” What does Jesus Christ’s resurrection mean for us? 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes t

Big Idea: If Jesus didn’t do life alone we shouldn’t either Luke 6:12-16 During those days he went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God. 13 When daylight came, he summoned his disciples, and he chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles:14 Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. Mark 9:2-10 After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain by themselves to be alone. He was transfigured in front of them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling—extremely white as no launderer on earth could whiten them. 4 Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi,it’s good for us to be here. Let us set up three shelters: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”— 6 because he did not know what to say,si

Big Idea: Community Groups enable us to live out Jesus’s New Commandment John 13:34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. What is this love exactly? Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 John 4:7-8 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. John 13:34-35 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” They taught the Gospel and they All actively helped spread it They lived out Jesus New Commandment to "love one another

Big Idea: Community Groups get us back to our roots as a Church Acts 2:38 “Peter replied, “Repent AND be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:41-47 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who wer

Big Idea: God Designed us for Relationships Genesis 2:18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.” 1 Corinthians 7:8-9 I say to the unmarried and to widows: It is good for them if they remain as I am 9 But if they do not have self-control, they should marry since it is better to marry than to burn with desire. He’s NOT JUST talking about MARRIAGE Genesis: 2:23b This one, at last, is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called “woman,” for she was taken from man. First: God did not say that it is not good for people to be single. Singleness is not a sin!!! Second: We have a God-given need for a relationship with other people RELATIONSHIP IS A CORE NEED CHRONIC LONELINESS IS AN EPIDEMIC IN OUR COUNTRY 46% OF AMERICANS SOMETIMES OR ALWAYS FEEL ALONE 43% OF AMERICANS SOMETIMES OR ALWAYS FEEL THAT THEIR RELATIONSHIPS ARE NOT MEANINGFUL LONELINESS INCREASES THE RISK OF DEATH BY 30%-60% WE ARE DEPRIVING OURSELVES

Big Idea: Samuel points to the Cross. Scriptures:1 Samuel 7:3-10 3And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtoreth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. 4Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtoreth, and served the Lord only. 5And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray for you unto the Lord. 6And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah. 7And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cea

Mouth Shut Ears Open Big Idea: Jesus wants to speak to you, are you willing to listen? 1 Samuel 1:18 “May your servant find favor with you,” she replied. Then Hannah went on her way; she ate and no longer looked despondent 1 Samuel 1:19 The next morning Elkanah and Hannah got up early to worship before the Lord. 1 Samuel 1:20 Afterward, they returned home to Ramah. Then Elkanah was intimate with his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 20 After some time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, because she said, “I requested him from the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:24b Though the boy was still young, she took him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh. 1 Samuel 2:12 Eli’s sons were wicked men; they did not respect the Lord 1 Samuel 2:22 Now Eli was very old. He heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they were sleeping with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 1 Samuel 2:26 By contrast, the boy Samuel grew in stature and in favor with the

Big Idea: You can’t out sin God’s Grace. Judges 16:4 Some time later, he fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the Sorek Valley. Judges 16:5 The Philistine leaders went to her and said, “Persuade him to tell you where his great strength comes from, so we can overpower him, tie him up, and make him helpless. Each of us will then give you 1,100 pieces of silver.” Judges 16:6 So Delilah said to Samson, “Please tell me, where does your great strength come from? How could someone tie you up and make you helpless?” Judges 16:7-15 7 Samson told her, “If they tie me up with seven fresh bowstrings that have not been dried, I will become weak and be like any other man.” 8 The Philistine leaders brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not been dried, and she tied him up with them. 9 While the men in ambush were waiting in her room, she called out to him, “Samson, the Philistines are here!” But he snapped the bowstrings as a strand of yarn snaps when it touches fire. The secret of his strength rem

Big Idea: Theology is for everyone. Judges 11:1-3 Jephthah the Gileadite was a valiant warrior, but he was the son of a prostitute, and Gilead was his father. 2 Gilead’s wife bore him sons, and when they grew up, they drove Jephthah out and said to him, “You will have no inheritance in our father’s family, because you are the son of another woman.” 3 So Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Then some worthless men joined Jephthah and went on raids with him. Judges 11:4-11 Some time later, the Ammonites fought against Israel. 5 When the Ammonites made war with Israel, the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. 6 They said to him, “Come, be our commander, and let’s fight the Ammonites.” 7 Jephthah replied to the elders of Gilead, “Didn’t you hate me and drive me out of my father’s family? Why then have you come to me now when you’re in trouble?” 8 They answered Jephthah, “That’s true. But now we turn to you. Come with us, fight the Ammonites, and you will become le

Big Idea: God is not your cosmic vending machine! Judges 10:6 Then the Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.They worshiped the Baals and the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, Sidon, and Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites and the Philistines. They abandoned the Lord and did not worship him. Judges 10:7-10 So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and he sold them to the Philistines and the Ammonites. 8 They shattered and crushed the Israelites that year, and for eighteen years they did the same to all the Israelites who were on the other side of the Jordan in the land of the Amorites in Gilead. 9 The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim. Israel was greatly oppressed, 10 so they cried out to the Lord, saying, “We have sinned against you. We have abandoned our God and worshiped the Baals.” Judges 10:11-14 The Lord said to the Israelites, “When the Egyptians, Amorites, Ammonites, Philistines, 12 Sidonians, Amalekites, and Maonites opp

Big Idea: Jesus is The Stone Crusher Judges 9:1-2 Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem and spoke to his uncles and to his mother’s whole clan, saying, 2 “Please speak in the hearing of all the citizens of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you or that one man rule over you?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and blood.” Judges 9:3-6 His mother’s relatives spoke all these words about him in the hearing of all the citizens of Shechem, and they were favorable to Abimelech, for they said, “He is our brother.” 4 So they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-berith. Abimelech used it to hire worthless and reckless men, and they followed him. 5 He went to his father’s house in Ophrah and killed his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, on top of a large stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid. 6 Then all the citizens of Shechem and of Beth-millo gathered together and proceeded to make Abimelech king a

Big Idea: Jesus is the only capable Savior and King. Judges 8:4-9 Gideon and the three hundred men came to the Jordan and crossed it. They were exhausted but still in pursuit. 5 He said to the men of Succoth, “Please give some loaves of bread to the troops under my command, because they are exhausted, for I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.” 6 But the princes of Succoth asked, “Are Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hands that we should give bread to your army?” 7 Gideon replied, “Very well, when the Lord has handed Zebah and Zalmunna over to me, I will tear your flesh with thorns and briers from the wilderness!” 8 He went from there to Penuel and asked the same thing from them. The men of Penuel answered just as the men of Succoth had answered. 9 He also told the men of Penuel, “When I return safely, I will tear down this tower!” Judges 8:10-17 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and with them was their army of about fifteen thousand men, who were all those left of the entire army of the