1 & 2 SAMUEL ESV JOURNAL

We’re already halfway through our Psalms summer sermon series. Following this series, we’ll head into the fall and winter of 2021 with the book of 1 Samuel. To help you follow along with this series and dig deep into God’s Word revealed through this wonderful Old Testament book, not only are we recommending the 1-2 Samuel ESV Journal for you, we are purchasing a journal for every adult in the church. These will be distributed during an upcoming Sunday service.

So, begin reading through 1 Samuel. Find a favorite pen to accompany this journal. And get ready to take sermon notes as God writes His truth on your heart.

REVIEW, RE-LISTEN (TO SOME), AND RESPOND

Below is a listing of the timeless traits of the Church we’ve encountered in the book of Acts as a Church. This past Sunday, we were challenged to not only hear and see but to turn (understand and respond). To help you in this, we’ve summarized the timeless trait from every sermon preached over the past 10 months. Review these. Pray over the ones the Lord revealed room to repent and grow in.

Further, we’ve included the summary list of the 5 traits we believe we should most focus on as a church as we move on from the book of Acts:

FIVE TO FOCUS ON

1. The Gospel - The timeless message of the Church

2. Prayer, Bible Intake, Fellowship, Giving - The timeless habits of the Church

3. Gospel proclamation - The timeless mission of the Church

4. Dependence on the Holy Spirit - The timeless power of the Church

5. Joy - The timeless expression of the Church

THE WHOLE LIST

• 1:1-2 - Acts gives us the timeless traits of the church

• 1:1-11 - The timeless mission of the church is the Spirit-empowered announcement of the atonement

• 1:12-26 - The church itself is timeless; being a Christian is a big deal

• 2:1-40 - The Holy Spirit is the timeless Guide and Guardian of truth. He leads us into Gospel truth and preserves it from age to age.

• 2:42-47 - The timeless rhythms of the church are set by the gospel

• 3:1-26 - The Gospel is the timeless gift of the church to the world

• 4:1-22 - "You can arrest me, but you can't arrest my Gospel" - The timeless authority of the church in the face of opposition. 

• 4:23-31 - When the world is raging, we need a vision of God reigning. God is timelessly reigning over all the world’s raging.

• 4:32-5:16 - Hypocrisy is the timeless vandal of the church

• 5:17-42 - God's sovereignty is the church's timeless confidence

• 6:1-7 - Deacons are the timeless shock absorbers of the church

• 6:8-7:60 - When everything stands against you, Jesus stands for you. Jesus is our timeless Advocate.

• 8:1-40 - God is the timeless pursuer of the lost

• 9:1-31 - Jesus' death on the cross alone is His timeless means of salvation

• 9:32-43 - Jesus' resurrection timelessly reverses the effects of sin

• 10:1-48 - Jesus is the Common Lord of our uncommon lives. The Gospel brings timeless unity and equality amidst our diversity.

• 11:1-30 - God's presence is the timeless rock in times of adjustment

• 12:1-25 - Prayer is the timeless power of the powerless

• 13:1-14:28 - Courage is the timeless necessity of the church on mission

• 15:1-41 - The truth of God's Word is our timeless foundation when we disagree

• 15:36-18:22 - The Spirit of God is the timeless Establisher of our steps

• 16:16-40 - The joy of Jesus is the only joy that endures. Don't let anyone tell you a Christian can be robbed of their joy. 

• 17:16-34 - The God of the Bible is the timeless God of the church ... and of all mankind. 

• 18:23-21:14 - The only way to follow Jesus is to leave yourself behind. The timeless call of Christ to take up our cross in order to find life.

• 19:11-12 - Miracles are the timeless extension of Jesus' resurrection life into the church

• 19:1-7, 20:7 - The Sacraments are the timeless representations of our redemption. Timeless symbols of the Gospel that deepen the reality of our redemption.

• 20:13-38 - The life God gives you is the timeless best life possible for you

• 21:15-22:22 - Jesus' rejection is your timeless acceptance

• 22:23-23:11 - Only a Living Jesus can call us to live and die for him. Only a Living Jesus can make a timeless call upon our lives.

• 23:12-35 - Providence

• 24:1-27 - The Gospel is the only timeless offense of the church

• 25:1-27 - The fear of man is the timeless temptation of the church

• 26:1-32 - Right convictions are timelessly rooted in God's Word (revelation)

• 27:1-28:15 - The timeless hope of the church is not the absence of trouble. Our hope is that Jesus will strengthen us to endure the storm, not eliminate it.

• 28:16-31 - Series finale

6 WEEKS IN PSALMS BEGINNING IN JUNE

Believe it or not, after over 10 months in the book of Acts, we only have four more weeks in our current sermon series. Our eyes have been opened to God’s timeless plans and intentions for His Church and as we now head into summer 2021, we look forward to our eyes being opened to the beauty of God’s designs and character captured within the Psalms.

As you prepare for the sermon series, consider devoting time to reading through the Psalms. Maybe read a Psalm or two Psalms every day. The Psalms are songs written to give voice to the joys, sorrows and even doubts of our hearts in response to what God is doing in the world. You’ll encounter His grace as you dig deeply into the treasury of the Psalms.

YOU CAN READ THE BOOK OF PSALMS HERE

This next Sunday, we begin a new sermon series in the book of 1 Thessalonians. We’ll spend the next 5 months as a church walking through this New Testament epistle written to a church of young Christians.

We’d recommend that you take some time to prayerfully prepare for this series. Pray for the men who will be preaching God’s Word. Pray for the Lord to use His Word to save sinners and sanctify His own. Also, familiarize yourself with the book by taking some time this week to read through it and discuss with those in your household.

We’ve made a version without chapters, verses or headings for you to read through.

This next Sunday, we begin our final book in our series in the minor prophets - the book of Jonah. If you’ve read any of the minor prophets before, this is likely one of them that you’re familiar with. Many Sunday school lessons have been taught regarding this prophet and his encounter with a “big fish”. What we’ll discover as a church, though, is that there is a much bigger story at play; the book isn’t about a big fish.

In preparation for this book, take an hour or so and read through its four chapters a couple times. Consider even reading through it with your kids.

We’ve made a version without chapters, verses or headings for you to read through.

Our Fall In The Prophets Begins This Sunday

This Sunday, July 28, begins a sermon series on a section of Scripture that is most unfamiliar to the majority of Christians - the prophets. Over the next four months, we’ll preach through the books of Joel, Micah and Jonah, learning along the way how relevant these books are for our contemporary lives, how infused with Gospel truth they are, how to read all of prophetic literature and finally, to learn to love reading the prophets. We’re looking forward to an exciting fall.

Prepare for this sermon series by spending a few days reading through the first book in the sermon series - Joel. It’s a short book consisting of only 3 chapters, so consider maybe even reading through it a few times.

We’ve made a version without chapters, verses or headings for you to read though.

Our sermon series in the Gospel of John began in July of 2018. Now, almost a year later, it’s drawing to a close. It’s been a profoundly rich experience of meeting Jesus afresh every Sunday. God has revealed His Son to us that we might “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing, you may have life in His name.” As the series draws to a close, here are a few suggestions to help you finish well:

• Read through the entire book one more time to remember where we’ve been

• Listen again to the sermon that God used to affect your perspective/behavior/faith/habits most significantly

• Review your sermon notes

• Prayerfully consider and thank God for the gift of His Word in the Gospel of John

We’re 12 chapters into the book of John together in our preaching series. For the remainder of the series, the book “slows down”. The last 9 chapters cover the Passion week and just a few days following Jesus’ resurrection. Through longer books like this one, it’s often helpful to take occasional trips through the entire book to get out of the “trees” and see “the forest”. If you’d like to read straight through, we’ve made a version without chapter or verse divisions designed specifically for reading through long chunks at a time. Spend some time this week and catch a glimpse of the forest of the book of John again.

We’re 5 chapters into the book of John together in our preaching series. Next week, the tone of John’s Gospel takes a turn as he transitions into the next major section. Through longer books like this one, it’s often helpful to take occasional trips through the entire book to get out of the “trees” and see “the forest”. If you’d like to read straight through, we’ve made a version without chapter or verse divisions designed specifically for reading through long chunks at a time. Spend some time this week and catch a glimpse of the forest of the book of John again.

On Sunday, July 15, we'll begin a new series through the Gospel of John. We're looking forward to it because for the entire time we spend in this book, you'll be encountering the life, ministry and mission of the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. It's a big book so packed with goodness that in the last verse, John, the author even says, "there are many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written" (John 21:25). 

Needless to say, it's a book worth studying if you want to grow closer to Jesus! We'd recommend reading through it yourself at least once before July 15th. 

We've made a version without chapters, verses or headings for you to read through.