Element Christian Church

Today’s parable throws many people off track. We tend to think that Jesus is saying one thing when He is really saying something else entirely. The important part of the parable of the “shrewd manager” can be easily misunderstood without the cultural context of who Jesus is talking to. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

Abraham Heschel wrote, “The real issue with prayer is how one understands God.” It’s not about the words, the form, the structure, or the formula; people have a hard time with prayer because we fail to have a proper view of God. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

Jesus tells a parable about an unjust judge and a persistent widow to teach His disciples about prayer and persistence. The judge, who neither fears God nor cares about people, repeatedly ignores a widow’s plea for justice. However, due to her relentless persistence, he eventually grants her request to avoid being bothered further. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

Jesus tells a parable about two men who went to the temple to pray: a Pharisee and a tax collector. The Pharisee, considered righteous by society, prays confidently, thanking God that he’s not like other sinners. He lists his good deeds, such as fasting twice a week and tithing everything he gets. In contrast, the tax collector, despised by society, stands at a distance, not even lifting his eyes to heaven. He beats his chest and prays, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

This sermon explores Jesus’ response to the Pharisees and scribes who criticized Him for eating with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus answers with three parables: the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son. The focus is primarily on the parable of the Prodigal Son. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

Last week we did a quick look through this passage about Zacchaeus. Today, we will take this real story and turn it into a parable for us and our life in the Kingdom of God. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

Zacchaeus was despised by his community, yet Jesus sought him out and initiated relationship. This visible act of grace precedes any visible change in Zacchaeus’ behavior, highlighting a crucial aspect of the Gospel: God’s acceptance is not a reward for our righteousness, but the very power that enables our transformation. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

Parables are (very broadly), “a fictitious narrative that would generally refer to something that might naturally occur, by which spiritual and moral matters might be conveyed.” There is no end to the speculation that centers on the parable that Jesus tells today. People get caught up in various theories, asking, “Is it really a parable or a true story? Is Jesus trying to tell us what the afterlife looks like? Is this a commentary about wealth and poverty being reversed in the future life?” This is not a parable (primarily) about riches and poverty, though there are many things in Luke 16 that can relate to how we see our money and stuff. There is more going on and we must take a step back and look at the picture language and ultimately Jesus’ own work in the world. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

Jesus didn’t teach in parables because He couldn’t figure out a better way to preach. These narrative form illustrations and stories have been used by rabbis for ages. The Jews called storytelling used to illustrate a message AGGADAH; it was creating word pictures to bring a deeper understanding of God and the world. Aggadah, to the Hebrews, were known as parables to the Greeks. Even a short statement by Jesus [“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin…” (Luke 12:27)] was considered Aggadah. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

As Paul brings his first letter to Timothy to a close, he reminds Timothy that this life will feel like—and is—a battle. We are not to run after our own glorification, but to flee those things and pursue righteousness. Paul wants Timothy to see the difference between a Gospel culture and a religious culture. While we have peace with God because of the Gospel, our lives are currently in the midst of a battle. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

Money (wealth) is one of the hardest things for most people to get their heads and hearts around. Greed is insidious, and we often don’t notice when it gains control over our lives. Jesus will even remind us to “watch out” in regard to money, because he knows of our blindness. 1 Tim 6:6-10 seems to address people who don’t have a lot of money yet want it, and 1 Tim 6:17-19 seems to be for people who do have a lot of money and still think they need more. Money, by either its absence or presence, can poison our life—not because money in itself is good or bad, but because of our focus upon it. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

Today Paul moves into how we live and honor one another in the body of Jesus. A proper doctrine—set of beliefs—honors those around us. Defining honor, in how Paul discusses, it would simply mean: ascribing worth through action. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

When the Apostle Paul instructed Timothy to be an example, Timothy was in a tough spot. As a young man, he was pastoring a church—that most likely had not called him—of people who despised his youth and inexperience. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

When it comes to correct doctrine and Biblical reasoning, it is important to understand that we (humankind) brought sin into the world and through the Gospel, God—who made the world in the first place—is remaking it through Jesus. We are never called to abandon our humanity, but rather to celebrate its rescue, redemption, and remaking. Today we can easily forget humanity has brought a fallenness to the world. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

1 Tim 3:16 is a short poem that is full of doctrine. It captures the richness of early Christianity in the way it challenged both the popular ‘mysteries’ and the rule of Caesar. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

We believe that God has taught us through the Scriptures (continually), through His Spirit (presently), and that the proclamation of the Good News will go on for eternity. What we believe is important, because it will affect how we live every moment of our lives. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

Paul writes what he does in 1 Timothy because he understands what the Bible says about sin and grace. Only the Gospel deals with us—as we are—and leads us to grace at the same time. Because of Jesus, we can acknowledge our sin and yet not be destroyed by it. Paul tells Timothy to continue to contend and celebrate the Gospel. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

Doctrine is about what God has handed down to us—ultimately pointing to the good news of what Jesus did and is continuing to do. Proper doctrine will translate into how we live our lives, how we interact with others, how we worship God, and how we pray. Prayer is more than asking for things, but today we want to look at what we should be asking for: Healthy churches will pray for the advancement of the Gospel. God’s desires should be our prayers. We learn God’s desires by looking at the Scripture, understanding correct doctrine, and abiding in Jesus. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

In the first part of Paul’s letter, he doesn’t talk about all the details of false teaching, but the implications of it for the Church. False teaching always undermines the true Gospel. Jesus + anything is not the Gospel. The Gosfeedpel is that Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE

Paul ends all his talk about the armor of God by focusing us on prayer. He ends with “finally” as he winds up his letter and reminds us of how to walk in God’s strength. This is a reminder that our strength comes from God, as He is able to do more than we could ever ask or imagine. The armor we wear is God’s armor and not our own. WATCH FULL SERVICE ON YOUTUBE DOWNLOAD PDF SERMON NOTES HERE