We are spending time defining and celebrating the different aspects of our Sunday gathering so that we will grow in seeing how glorious and important Sunday is to God. Lord willing, the fruit being a deeper joy in God and a greater commitment to our gathering. Today, we look at Worship. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  The Gathering: Why Sunday Matters
TEXT: John 4:21-24
TITLE: Worshiping God, God’s Way
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: True Worship is Worshiping God, God’s Way

POINTS:
1. The Biblical Fundamentals of Our Worship
2. The Biblical Expressions of Our Worship

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Romans 12:1 exhorts us to offer our body and soul as a living sacrifice to God as worship. For the Christian, all of life is worship. Today, we look at a narrow expression of Romans 12 worship—the 20-25 of our gathering when we sing together.”

“The woman at the well was a Samaritan. The Samaritans were Israelites who intermarried with non-Israelites. By the time Jesus came on the scene, the Samaritans had their own theological system, including Mt. Gerizim, not Jerusalem, as the place where God was to be worshipped.”

“When Jesus says You worship what you do not know— he is calling the woman and her religion out. She does not worship God in truth because she does not worship Him according to His self-revelation but according to their man-made revelation. It’s not that she was worshipping a false God; she was worshipping the true God falsely.”

“Jesus points the woman to his sacrifice that will transform where and how God’s people will worship Him. Since Jesus is the way, the life, the TRUTH (Hebrews 1:3), his words in verse 24—those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth—become the new order and formula he will create for all Christian worship under the new covenant.”

“To worship God in truth is to worship Him according to who He is and how He has prescribed we worship Him in Scripture. To worship God in truth is to worship Him according to and for His eternal character, sacrificial love, and gospel promises. It’s not that we can only sing God’s Word (Regulative Principle), but God’s Word must be the basis of our singing. Our theology informs, permeates, and fuels our Sunday morning worship. This is why the songs we sing are so important.”

“Simply put, to worship God in Spirit is to worship Him from a heart of faith in Christ. We are God’s people, not because of ethnicity, geography, or outward work. We belong to God because, by His grace, we have an inward faith in Jesus.”

“When we worship in faith, not concerned with pleasing or impressing others, but believing from hearts of gratitude that God is good and the pinnacle of His goodness is providing Jesus as our Savior, no matter where you are, who you are with, or how off tune you sing, God is magnified because you are worshipping him in spirit, from a heart of gratitude and in truth, according to who He is.”

“This isn’t optional. You can’t have one without the other. They go together. To worship only in truth can be hard and cold. To worship God only in Spirit can lead to fleeting and shallow emotionalism. But to worship God with the head and the heart, that is true worship.”

“Is true worship about the heart? Absolutely! From beginning to the end of Scripture it’s clear—above all things, God is concerned with the heart. But don’t fall into the trap of thinking that means what I do with my body when I worship is unimportant and irrelevant. It is very important and relevant.”

“The Bible says much about physical expression when we worship God. What do we mean by physical expression? Expressive worship is using appropriate physical motions that manifest the attitude and reflect the proper response to what we are singing about God.”

“Ultimately, the exhortation in 1 Corinthians 14:40, when we gather things should be done decently and in order, is our guiding principle. Our priority in corporate worship is not our individual expressiveness; it’s encouraging and serving one another in Christ. This is why pastors should teach, encourage, and model God-honoring expressive worship.”

“This shouting isn’t a rock concert—Hey SGC! We’re in the house. Are you ready for this? Connect the content to the shouting. These are shouts of praise fueled by the theology of God that is on fire in the hearts of His people in a way that cannot be contained.”

“Clapping in Scripture is a God-ordained response of appreciation, honor, and exaltation to the Lord for who He is and what He has done for us.”

“The point of Psalm 47 is that God is the King who reigns over all. He has defeated the enemy and delivered His people. So His people clap—Thank you God! How much more on this side of the cross do we have to clap as a worshipful response to the God of our salvation? He is worthy, isn’t He?”

“In the Bible, raised hands are associated with blessing. To bless the Lord is to exalt and celebrate Him. David expresses his hunger and need for the Lord, who is powerful and glorious and whose unfailing love is better than life itself. So he doesn’t just sing; David also raises his hands to express gratitude for who God is and how He loves him.”

“As a desperate child runs to their father with outstretched arms—Help me!—David raises his hands as an expression of need and surrender to God.”

“Again, connect the content with the expression. This is not— Raise your hands in the air like you just don’t care. This is theology that grips the heart so much that it overcomes our personalities and fears and pours forth through physical expression because it is too marvelous to be contained.”

“Bowing down is a posture of humility and submission. It reflects an inward attitude of reverence and respect before the Lord. As the people consider and praise God as the Rock of their salvation, their Holy Creator and sovereign Lord over all things, they bow down in awe and wonder. Isn’t He worthy of our bended knee?”

“Important distinction: No physical expression is worship itself. No expression makes our worship more genuine. No expression makes the individual holier than the next. Someone can raise their hands in exuberance on Sunday and be committing adultery or stealing from the boss on Monday. But when these physical expressions are fueled by theology and flow from a heart of gratitude, adoration, wonder, and awe, they are God-honoring responses to true worship taking place in our hearts.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Romans 12:1
1 Corinthians 14:40

There are numerous physical expressions in Scripture that God has commanded and commended to us:
Voices
- Sing: Psalm 96:1-2, Psalm 47:6:7
- Shout: Psalm 33:1-3, Psalm 100:1
Hands
- Clapping: Psalm 47:1-2
- Raising Hands: Psalm 63:1-4, Psalm 134:1-3, Psalm 143:6
Legs
- Bow Down: Psalm 95:1-7

QUOTES:
Martin Luther - “A person who gives this [singing] some thought and yet does not regard it as a marvelous creation of God, must be a clodhopper indeed and does not deserve to be called a human being; he should be permitted to hear nothing but the braying of [donkeys] and the grunting of hogs.”

D.A. Carson - “Christian worship is new covenant worship; it is gospel-inspired worship; it is Christ-centered worship; it is cross-focused worship.”

Bob Kauflin - “God wants our worship to be intelligent and informed. He wants to stretch our minds to the limits as we consider the greatness of his being and the wonder of his works….Obviously, intellect can become an end in itself. We can become more impressed with our doctrinal formulations than we are with Jesus. We can end up leading a theologically orthodox but emotionally dead church. God receives no glory from that combination….God intends for us to remember that neither biblical truth nor deep emotion is out of place when we worship God; they’re meant to go together.”

Matt Boswell - “The Scriptures resound with singing. There are over fifty direct commands for us to sing, and singing is mentioned over 400 times in the Bible. Singing doesn’t merely play a one-dimensional function in the life of the church; it plays a multi-faceted, invaluable role as we worship God. We sing as an act of worship. We sing to disciple one another. We sing as a declaration to the world.”

APPLICATION:
Q) Are there any physical expressions of worship God has given in Scripture that I refuse or have never displayed?

• Not my personality to raise my hands

• Not respectable to shout (shouting in my heart)

• What will others think if I bow down? (fear of man)

• Expressions are cultural (their not)

• Didn’t grow up clapping 

What hinders you on Sundays? Fear of man? Personality? Warped sense of being reverent or respectable? Tradition?

The Bible doesn’t command we do every expression every time we worship. But if God has commanded and commended certain physical expressions, and I refuse some because I want to worship God my way, at my comfort level, well, I need to revisit my theology of worship. Because worship is not about me; it’s about Him.

In heaven, one thing we will do is sing. We will see our Savior, and with the angels, we will sing. We will sing loud, free of pride, fear, and ignorance. We will sing with clear minds and genuine hearts that can take in the glory of God unhindered by sin. We will sing with the strength to keep singing forever. It will be glorious! Until then, Be here on Sunday so we can sing together. How God made you will be reflected in your worship. But he gave us all a voice, hands, and legs to worship Him.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and Paul’s apostolic authority over this [Corinthian] Church, what arises from this highly corrective letter, helps us understand what matters to God about His local Churches. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  The Gathering: Why Sunday Matters
TEXT: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
TITLE: Communion: A Holy Celebration
PREACHER: Tim Lambros
BIG IDEA: The Sunday Gathering Matters to God because gospel proclamation matters to God.

POINTS:
1. The Sunday Gathering Matters
2. The Communion Celebration Matters
3. The Communion Posture Matters

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Paul is bringing a rebuke, a correction concerning when they gather on Sundays. He doesn’t waste time and is very clear. Your  Sunday gatherings are not for the better but for the worse. …[These are] God’s people gathering as Christians, saved by grace, saved by the power of the gospel – yet their Sunday gathering is not commendable. …It’s not even neutral. It’s for the worse. When you gather it’s not good, it’s not healthy, it’s not productive. In fact, Corinth, it’s for the worse.”

“God is using the Apostle Paul to speak into a messy situation in the Corinthian Church on numerous fronts – earlier in this letter Paul dealt with sexual sin, later he will deal with the pride of exalting of a spiritual gift like tongues – here God is concerned with the Sunday gathering. Are you getting the idea that the Sunday gathering  matters to God?”  

“Paul will move on to instruction concerning the Lord’s Supper next but clearly the Corinthian Church and all local Churches would know from this rebuke that the Sunday Gathering Matters to God.”

“The early Church met in rich people’s homes. The unity the gospel brought was still  being worked out in the Churches – Jew/Greek, rich/poor, master/slave, male/female.  The tradition and institution of the Lord’s Supper was getting lost as the rich people  were more concerned about their meal while drinking their wine while others were not  eating anything. Societal discrimination was being cultivated when they met and the  sacred observance of the Lord’s Supper was getting lost.”

“Paul directs their attention to the communion celebration. One of two sacraments. A  sign. A particularly important celebration commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ to be  done regularly because it’s one of the richest pictures and reminders of the gospel of  Jesus Christ.”

“Paul draws their attention to the tradition of this institution. This is too rich and too meaningful a tradition to confuse it with mealtime or to come hoping to get your stomach satisfied or to drink wine. The Church is to come together for a communion  celebration that reminds them of the significance of what Christ had done.”

“During the Lord’s Supper, we preach the death of Christ that paid the cost for discriminating one another, paid the price for selfishness and self-centeredness in the Church. Can you see why Paul brings correction and in fact is  saying “this is important to get right, the communion celebration matters!” this rich  and meaningful and important celebration means something – look at v. 26 – you are  proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes.”

“Bottom line, if you participate in the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner you will be guilty concerning the body and blood of Christ. In other words, if you are self-centered when the Church gathers for this sacrament and sin against your brothers and sisters  you disrespect Jesus Himself.”

APPLICATION:
- Does the Sunday gathering of this local Church matter to you?
- In what ways can you fight our heart getting cold about the Sunday Gathering?

Our section of text today can easily be described as one of the most clear and instructional portions of scripture that frames the Christian heart of giving and we will see that at the bottom of it all is the Gospel. This text is a GIFT to the church for clarity on giving. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  The Gathering: Why Sunday Matters
TEXT: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
TITLE: Gospel Generosity
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: The Gospel Forges Generous Givers

POINTS:
1.   Gospel Freedom
a. Purposeful Giving
b. Cheerful Giving
c. Faith-filled Giving
2.   Gospel Mission
a. God Funds the Gospel Mission
b. God Secures the Gospel Mission success
c. God is Generous toward us so we will be generous in the Gospel Mission
3.   Gospel Glory

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Giving, for the believer in Jesus, must not be disconnected from the Center of our faith – The Gospel of Christ.”

“God’s people give. A simple survey of our Bible reveals this is the case. Verse 7 may be misunderstood as allowing giving as an option as one “has decided” BUT don’t miss the clear imperative to “give.” The text is not instructing us on whether or not we can or should give but, rather, giving is assumed and it begins to instruct us on HOW and WHY we are to give.”

“These words in the original carry the meaning that can be described as the Purpose of the Heart. Not simply moved by the whims of the heart or the mind and certainly not from whatever we feel like in the moment.

“This ‘decision in his heart’ carries with it intentionality that is motivated by a deep sense of conviction – the fountainhead and morality of the mind/the will.’”

“Purposeful, intentional giving is what the Spirit of God in verse 7 teaches us. Packed in the meaning of this is thoughtful planning, and consideration. NOTE: giving did not begin with the budget, the ledger, the spreadsheet, the pen and napkin. The Purpose of giving begins in the heart.”

“In addition to the purpose, there is the disposition of the heart… one of cheer and joy! Without joy, we find that our giving can be pragmatic and mechanical. How strange it would be for the believer in Christ to be filled with joy in his salvation and yet not his giving!”

“In verse 6, the Cheerful Giver is illustrated in the sower who sows bountifully. Imagine the hopeful, happy farmer with a sunbaked smile sowing happily into the field.”

“‘God is able!’ - these are trust-anchoring words. They move our faint hearts from our circumstances and uncertainty places us upon the very promises of God, His power. He promises to provide, and He will provide EVERYTHING that we need at ALL TIMES, enabling us to do what we originally thought was impossible.”

“This grace of giving comes from the fountainhead of the heart that is purposeful and joyful BECAUSE its faith is grounded on God himself.”

“Our sinful nature wrestles deeply with the “desire of having.” If we have much, we desire to hold on to it selfishly. If we have little, we desire to hold on to it selfishly… And in both cases, with much and with little, we selfishly do not want to let it go.”

“Loosed from the shackles of selfish reluctance, dread, and mechanical compulsion the GOSPEL CHANGES THE SOWER: FREEDOM flows from our hearts with purpose, joy, and faith.”

“This sower sows bountifully, burying his hand into the supply he casts GENEROUSLY with an open hand. Yes, with wisdom and intentionality but nothing is holding him back. The sense of the text likely imagines the unwilling white-knuckled grip on the gift being now WILLINGLY and FREELY opened and the gift being hurled into the field.”

“One act of God’s grace for the giver in Gospel mission is that God Himself is the one who funds the Mission! ‘He supplies the seed to the sower.’”

“HE IS NOT RELUCTANT! He freely gives to us GENEROUSLY! But, he does so so that we would turn and be ‘generous in every way.’"

“In Mattew 6, Jesus instructs us not to give in such a way that we draw attention to ourselves (and easy temptation). Without contradicting Jesus, the Apostle in the original language of Vs 12, along with what he writes in 8:1-7, reveals that this act of giving was corporate. Humble Gospel giving at the Gathering is an act of corporate worship. It is witnessed BY the church because it was done AT church.”

“Generosity is not about dollar amounts nor about percentages. It’s about the Grace of God at work in their hearts that empowered them even in the face of severe affliction in such a way that Gospel joy met their extreme poverty and the result was an overflowing ‘wealth of generosity’ that measured beyond their normal means! Their generosity was measured by sacrifice, not dollars!”

“God has given dearly to us! Romans 8:32 ‘He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?’ There was nothing more valuable to the Father than His only begotten Son, Jesus, and HE GAVE HIM for us.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 12:34
2 Corinthians 8:7

QUOTES:
John Calvin- “...for nothing is more famished and starved than the distrustful, who are tormented with an anxious desire of having.”

Randy Alcorn - “Another benefit of giving is freedom. It’s a matter of basic physics. The greater the mass, the greater the hold that mass exerts. The more things we own – the greater their total mass – the more they grip us, setting us in orbit around them. Finally, like a black hole, they suck us in… We think we own our possessions, but too often they own us…”

APPLICATION:
- Survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died
- Study the Gospel and probe the depths of our Generous God and Savior.

Let the Gospel in your right hand preach to your tightly closed left hand until it loosens its grip and let that seed fly!

A man made happy and grateful by the Gospel will give generously and freely.

Sundays Matter because Sundays are for serving. But pastor, I thought Sundays were for worship? Exactly. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  The Gathering: Why Sunday Matters
TEXT: 1 Peter 4:10-11
TITLE: The Glory of Serving on Sundays
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: When we serve on Sunday, God’s power and grace are displayed, and His glory is revealed.

POINTS:
1. Your Gifts Are From God
2. Your Gifts Are For God’s People
3. Your Gifts Are Used To God’s Glory

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Today is not about discovering your gift. There will be no job fair or personality testing will be in the lobby following the service. Today is about The Glory of Serving on Sundays. WHY serving on Sunday matters? Here it is: In a word—Worship! When we serve on Sunday, it is an outward display of an inward reality meant to draw attention to upward glory.”

“Peter begins with an assumption in 10—As each has received a gift. Every Christian has a spiritual gift or gifts. You may not know what your gifts are. You may not currently be using your gifts. You may not know how to use your gifts. …’ungifted Christian’ is an oxymoron. There’s no such thing—If you’ve been saved, you’ve been gifted.”

“Peter makes a stunning statement about your gift. No matter how public or private or how dazzling or dull your gift is, your gift is a MANIFESTATION of God’s GRACE.”

“When the gospel came into your heart, Christ took your sin away. He imputed His righteousness to you. He gave you hope in life and death. AND—He gave you gifts.”

“Your spiritual gifts are not simply about what you can do FOR Christ; they are an expression of the GREATEST gift you’ve ever received—Christ IN you.”

“And our Master’s desire for the gifts He’s entrusted to us (10)—to serve one another. Your gifts are for your church, not EXCLUSIVELY, but PRIMARILY. Is it ok to serve outside your local church—ABSOLUTELY! But just as Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 12:7—the gifts are for the common good of the local church, and that’s what Peter has in mind here—serving begins IN your church because your gifts are primarily FOR your church.”

“Paul uses the imagery of a human body and all its parts to make this point: In the local church—Everyone is needed, and everyone matters.”

“Your gifts are outwardly focused, but they have an upward purpose—the glory of God. We are not kings building personal kingdoms. We are stewards in the kingdom of God.”

“God desires and requires us to serve humbly, aware of our dependence on Him to get anything done, bear any fruit, or do any good.”

“Our Sunday gathering is meant to display God’s extraordinary power through ordinary people serving one another for one ultimate purpose—make much of our Savior to the praise of God’s glory.”

“This is why Sunday Matters: This makes a gathering of ordinary people extraordinary. The gathering is a unique and powerful act of worship that celebrates and displays God’s grace and glory to one another.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Ephesians 2:10
1 Corinthians 10:31
1 Corinthians 12:7
1 Corinthians 12:14-26
Isaiah 48:9-11

QUOTES:
Paul Tripp - “God has designed corporate worship not just to expose my need of help, but to remind me over and over again, that I have been called to be one of God’s helpers. We need to be reminded that we are not just the recipients of God’s amazing grace, but have been drafted by him to be instruments of that grace in the lives of others.”

Donald Whitney - “At the moment of salvation when the Holy Spirit comes to live within you, He brings a gift with Him.”

Jerry Bridges - “We all know people, even unbelievers, who seem to be natural servants. They are always serving others one way or another. But God does not get the glory; they do. It is their reputation that is enhanced. But when we, natural servants or not, serve in dependence upon the grace of God with the strength He supplies, God is glorified.”

John Piper - “The most passionate heart for the glorification of God is God’s heart.”

BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

Sunday Matters: 52 Devotionals to Prepare Your Heart for Church

By Tripp, Paul David

Buy on Amazon

APPLICATION:
- Study 1 Corinthians 12:14-26 this week!

- Now, Peter’s exhortation demands some self-evaluation:

1. Are you aware of your gifts?  

2. Are you connected to your church with your gifts? 

3. Are you encouraging others in their gifts?

Here’s our application: Be here on Sundays. Be here serving your Savior by serving one another with the gifts God has graciously given you to use for His glory!

Have you ever come to the Gathering on Sunday morning and not really felt like singing? If you are like me, then your answer is yes. I’ve been leading worship for over 14 years (meaning I probably enjoy and think about singing more often than most), and yet I can often come on Sundays and be far less excited about singing than I should be. 

The reality is that we should be far more anticipatory about singing together when we gather. But too often, we aren’t. We approach those precious 25 minutes more informed by our feelings than the God who created us, redeemed us, and offers this incredible means of grace called singing. 

Have you ever thought (or said) something like this on a Sunday morning?
It’s been a tough week, I’m not really in the mood to sing.
My morning has been chaotic with the kids... I need a break. 
I’m weary from sin or trial in my life… I don’t feel like singing… I don’t feel worthy to sing.
Singing isn’t really my thing… I worship God in other ways.
I have a horrible voice… I don’t want people to hear me sing.
These songs aren’t really my preference…. so I’m not going to sing.
The band doesn’t sound very good today… so I’m not singing. 

Because sin still exists in the world, it is not uncommon for us to experience these struggles on any given Sunday morning. None of us are immune. But the question is, what do we do when we don’t feel like singing? 

I want to encourage us to do something radical: Sing! 

Not because you feel like it.
Not because you like the song selection.
Not even simply because God commands it in His word.

Sing because it reminds you (and others) of the Gospel truths we so easily forget (Colossians 3:16) 
Sing because He is sustaining you in that very moment (Psalm 55:22)
Sing because He offers you an unending well of grace in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16)
Sing because He has triumphed over sin and redeemed you (Psalm 71:23)
Sing because He will come back again and bring you safely home (John 14:1-3)
Sing because it’s what we are going to get to do for an eternity together (Revelation 15:3-4)

You’ll be amazed at what the Lord will do when we trust Him, obey Him, and sing. 

As you head to the Gathering this Sunday, consider the following from Bob Kauflin (Leader of Sovereign Grace Music). 

“Confess your weakness, confess your inability, ask God to reveal his glory to you in Jesus Christ, and start singing the truths of God’s word. Most likely, it won’t be too long before your perspective changes, and you’re not thinking about whether you feel like singing anymore. You’ll be thinking about how worthy Jesus is to receive the praises of his people.”

So, brothers and sisters, sing because our Savior is worthy to receive the praises of His blood-bought church.  

We have the joy of singing a new song this Sunday called (you guessed it) Sing! It reminds us of this truth: Sinners, redeemed by a faithful God have every reason to sing. In fact, we must sing. Listen below!

I can’t wait to see you at the Gathering this Sunday and SING.

Sunday is not a day of religious rules; it’s a day of purposeful praise. On Sundays, we change our pattern to have our eyes filled with the glory of Jesus, who has given us true rest! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  The Gathering: Why Sunday Matters
TEXT: Exodus 20:8-11
TITLE: Sunday: Holy Day? Or Holiday?
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Sunday matters.

POINTS:
1. The Sabbath Commanded
2. The Sabbath Transformed
3. The Sabbath Practiced

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”The demise of the Sunday gathering is a modern-day expression of the idolatry in Judges that created a society defined by—everyone did what was right in their own eyes. For this reason, convictions about Sunday are critical.”

“If you don’t have convictions that define your Sunday, other things will define your Sundays. Work emails will define your Sundays. The culture will. Youth sports will. Leisure will. Your emotions will. A long, exhausting week will define your Sundays.” 

“Sadly, Sunday doesn’t matter enough. Here’s what your pastors are convinced of: We need a bigger vision of our Sunday gathering. We need to recapture the glory and privilege of gathering as people saved by grace, empowered by the Spirit, and waiting for our final home in heaven. How everything we do when we gather accomplishes this is what The Gathering series is about.”

“The fourth commandment was simple—Remember the Sabbath. What does that mean? It was more than mere mental exercise. If I say to Donna—It’s our anniversary, and that’s the extent of it, I’m in trouble. Israel was to remember the Sabbath by—(8) keeping it holy or setting it apart.”

“After 400 years of living under the tyrannical slave masters in Egypt who brutally worked them endlessly, taking a day off would have been welcomed. But taking a day off was not an end in itself. There was a much deeper significance than just physical rest—read verse 11.”

“God rested, not because He needed rest, but to take pleasure in the goodness of His creation, especially the goodness of the fellowship He had with Adam and Eve. God is delighting in them. He is caring for them. God is talking with them. He is shining His face down upon them. In other words, God is reveling in His presence with His people. Just as God rested to revel in His presence with His people, Israel is to rest to revel in God’s presence with them.”

“Simply put, it was a day of unique worship. That’s what the Fourth Commandment was about.”

“By the time of Jesus, what was a gift to God’s people, what was supposed to be a day of worship and delighting in God for their deliverance from Egypt, the Sabbath had become unrecognizable due to the crushing legalism of the Pharisees.”

“Jesus came to obey and fulfill the law perfectly because we could not. Now, IN CHRIST, we can rest from the impossible laboring of pleasing God through works. We can rest from the futile laboring of earning God’s saving love. We can rest from our useless laboring at securing forgiveness through our goodness. We can rest from the crushing weight of performance. The reality is that we can’t make ourselves right with God. We enter God’s Sabbath rest by believing in the atoning and all-sufficient life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ by which we are justified and forgiven.” 

“The OT Sabbath was rooted in the pattern of God’s creation work then rest. But Christ coming to do the work of salvation changes that pattern. Jesus did the work necessary for our forgiveness on the cross—It is finished. His resurrection on Sunday ushered in the New Covenant. Now, in Christ, we don’t work then rest; we begin with spiritual rest provided for us in the gospel, and then we work out of that rest by living and worshipping to the praise of God’s glory. The gospel transforms the 6-1 into 1-6.”

“There are differences between the Old Covenant and New Covenant Sabbath. But continuity is there: 1) We physically come together to worship 2) We intentionally rest from our usual activities in some way.”

“Sunday is not a day of religious rules; it’s a day of purposeful praise. On Sundays, we change our pattern to have our eyes filled with the glory of Jesus, who has given us true rest!”

“What are your convictions about the Lord’s Day? Is it just another day? What are your children learning about the priority of Sunday as they grow up in your home? Are they being taught there is no other day like the day we go to the house of the Lord to worship God? Or is it that church fits in if nothing else is pressing in? Over the next six weeks, we will unpack Why Sunday Matters. Be here. Don’t miss it. The Lord has something for all of us as we take back Sundays for our good, the testimony of our church, and God’s glory!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Genesis 2:2-3
Psalm 121:4
Deuteronomy 5:15
Matthew 11:28-30
Revelation 1:10
Acts 20:7
1 Corinthians 16:1-2

QUOTES:
C.J. Mahaney - “Sunday is the best day of the week because we celebrate the risen Christ of the cross in the local church, the dearest place on earth.”

BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

What If I Don't Feel Like Going to Church? (Church Questions)

By Gundersen, David

Buy on Amazon

APPLICATION:
Five ways to prepare for this series:
1. Be Here on Sundays
You won’t grow if you don’t go. Do whatever you need to do to be here. Orient the rest of your week to ensure you can be here on Sunday. And come even if you don’t want to come.
2. Take this series to heart
Humbly allow God’s Word to function as a mirror in your life. See the next few weeks as a time to evaluate your Sunday convictions and habits.
3. Think Corporately
The Christian life is you, God, and His people. We aren’t just saved from something; we are saved to something—the Church. That has implications for us, beginning with Sundays.
4. Hold your personal preferences graciously
Romans 14 and Colossians 2 warn us about self-righteously judging others because, among other things, their practice of the Lord’s Day doesn’t look just like ours. Beyond the NT pattern of setting Sunday apart to gather in worship and taking time to rest in some way—those should be non-negotiable for every believer—there is gospel freedom for personal preference.
5. Consider attending the SGU class in May: “Doctrine of the Church”

SGYouth will be running our THIRD annual Chili & Pie Competition on Sunday, April 14th, after church! The rules are simple: sign up, bring your best, and the church will vote the winners. You can enter to bring a pot of your famous chili, your grandma’s secret pie recipe, OR BOTH! We have several people signed up already, but we need about 4-5 more in each category. 

If you don’t want to enter the contest, just come hungry! We’re asking for a suggested donation of $5 per person, or $25 per family, but any amount you can cheerfully give would be greatly appreciated!

SGYouth has the wonderful opportunity of joining the other churches in our Sovereign Grace region again for a multi-church youth retreat this July!  All of the proceeds from this event will go towards sponsoring students from our youth group for this Regional Youth Retreat. We had a great time at camp last year and look forward to it again this year.

Last year's Chili and Pie Competition was an excellent day of church community, fun, games, and great food. We are excited to be doing this again and ask that you please it a priority. The youth need your help, and we guarantee you will not walk away hungry!

If you want to compete in this Chili and Pie Competition, SIMPLY TEXT “CHILI” OR “PIE” TO (520) 999-2862. Feel free to call me with any questions- 520-609-8864. 

Jon Lambros

For all of us, here’s the bad news: You can’t avoid death. Everyone eventually dies, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. But Easter changes everything. Easter is the remedy for death. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

EASTER 2024
TEXT: 1 Corinthians 15:20-26
TITLE: The Ultimate Hope of Easter
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Because death is our greatest enemy, Easter is our greatest hope.

POINTS:
1. The Resurrection of Jesus Guarantees Our Resurrection
2. The Resurrection of Jesus Guarantees the Renewal of All Things

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”I read a study titled—What We Fear More Than Death. Does anyone think they know the answer? 75% of people polled answered public speaking. That means most of you would rather die than get up here and speak. If that’s you, here’s the good news: You can avoid public speaking. For all of us, here’s the bad news: You can’t avoid death. Everyone eventually dies, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. But Easter changes everything. Easter is the remedy for death.”

“Easter is our greatest hope because the resurrection of Jesus guarantees our resurrection and the renewal of all things.”

“Paul is correcting bad theology in 1 Corinthians. But in that, he is giving the Corinthians hope. There is safety and hope in sound doctrine.”

“In Corinth, there were some in the church rejecting a bodily resurrection. There is no hope in that perspective. If there is no resurrection, then not even Jesus is resurrected. And if Jesus has not been raised from the dead, if the tomb is not empty on Sunday, then all that happened on Good Friday doesn’t matter. We are still in our sins. The Christian faith is meaningless, even blasphemous. This life is all we have, so we are to be pitied above all. Why? Because if the tomb is not empty, the gospel unravels.”

“What are first fruits? The first fruits were the first crops the farmer gathered from their harvest. They would take the first fruits of their crops and give them to the Lord as an offering of gratitude for His provision. The first fruits also gave the farmer hope because they acted as a promise for a good harvest. The first fruits were a sign of good things to come. In the analogy, Paul says Jesus’ resurrection was the first fruit, the first spiritual harvest that will lead to many resurrections. Christ’s empty tomb guarantees a bountiful crop of resurrections to follow.”

“Paul says you have believed the gospel, which is of first importance. You believe that Jesus died for your sins on the cross, and after three days in the grave, he was raised from the dead and was seen alive by over 500 people, including ME. Now, if Jesus is the first fruit, the necessary implication of your faith is that his resurrection, which you believe in, guarantees your resurrection. Be hopeful!”

“Because Adam was the first man, he was the representative of mankind. The way he goes, we all go. Adam’s sin affected and infected us all. Because Adam sinned, we are sinners. We are sinners because we inherited Adam’s sinful nature. This is called Original Sin. You can read more about it in Romans 5. In Adam, we have all sinned, making physical and spiritual death the inescapable reality for us all.”

“We know sin—Anger, lust, greed, gossip, dishonesty, bitterness. We know pride, selfishness, judgementalism, coarse talk, sexual sin. We have been freshly reminded by the Book of Judges just how well we know idolatry, which is simply finding our purpose and joy in anything other than God. Why? We were born on Team Adam. But our text tells us there is another team.”

“This text tells us there is another representative whose actions affect us. In Adam, all die, but those IN CHRIST live! Isn’t God merciful and gracious? We deserve death—He gives us life.”

“The Hope of Easter is not that if you clean up your life, God will accept you. The Hope of Easter is not a personal commitment to diversity, equity, or inclusion. The Hope of Easter is not a disciplined approach to tradition or ceremony. The Hope of Easter is not found in politicians. The Hope of Easter is that all who believe in Jesus will live forever in his glorious presence. To be IN CHRIST is to have CHRIST IN YOU, and CHRIST IN YOU is the hope of glory! Such is the profound nature of the gospel and the guarantee of the resurrection.”

“In the resurrection of Jesus, God has the final word over sin and death. Jesus paid the price for our sins at the cross, crying—It is finished. Through the empty tomb, God makes the cosmic proclamation—It is sufficient! And on that glorious day when the trumpet will sound, and Jesus returns in all his glory, we will finally, fully, and forever realize our Easter Hope.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Romans 3:23
Romans 6:23
Colossians 1:27

QUOTES:
David Garland - “Graveyards remind us of the brevity of life. Jesus’ resurrection reminds us of the brevity of death.”

APPLICATION:
If you have never placed your faith in Jesus, you are still on Team Adam. Eternal death and judgment await you. But today, you can believe in Jesus and live. You may say—Pastor, I am living. I’m good. You’re not living. The Bible says because of your sin, you are a dead person walking. You may be alive physically, but you are dead spiritually, and that’s what matters eternally. But Jesus is not dead—He has risen! That means if you believe in him today, you lean all your trust on him for salvation, you will be raised to life and truly live, not only today but forever. Will you come to Jesus this morning?

For the believer, Paul tells us exactly how we should respond to our Easter Hope—read 58. Our Easter hope is that one day, we will rise from the dead and reign with Jesus. But that resurrection promise, in a sense, is ours now. It’s in part, but we live the resurrection life today. 

In this topsy-turvy world, what is testing your faith today? The resurrection spurs you on to gospel steadfastness, knowing the best is yet to come. Are you becoming fearful of trying to live the Christian life in your country? You can stand immovable in the face of increasing hostility because what can man do to us—IN CHRIST, death is the door to life!

Are you growing weary of doing gospel good in an unresponsive community? You can throw ourselves into our gospel mission because Jesus is not dead; he is alive and advancing His kingdom purposes through us from the throne of God. As Christians, we aren’t living our best lives now, but we live now knowing that our best lives are yet to come.

“Bad news” is an inevitable part of our life on this earth but let’s look to see how a King of Judah, named Jehoshaphat, responded to uncertainty and some devastating news. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

TEXT: 2 Chronicles 20:1-24
TITLE: God is Trustworthy: The Prayer of Jehoshaphat
PREACHER: Trey Richardson
BIG IDEA: God is trustworthy, Trust God and Pray

POINTS:
1. When news brings fear (1-4)
2. When Fear brings prayer (5-12)
3. When Prayer brings praise (13-24)

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Through this passage, we want to see that it is possible to live our lives in a world full of uncertainty and not be controlled by the fears that come with it.  We need to know that it is possible to live our lives in 2024 in a way that keeps our thoughts and minds above the fray of fear, regardless of what is going on, and regardless of the news that comes our way. It is possible because of where we place our trust.”

“A great multitude made of three different nations - the Moabites, the Ammonites, and some of the Meunites - were discovered marching toward Judah to destroy it.  How many were coming is unclear, but what is clear is that it is a ‘multitude’ or a ‘great horde’, are terms used to designate a numerically superior army.”

“How did Jehoshaphat respond to the news he received about these three different nations, now combining their armies, coming to destroy Judah? He was facing the genocide of his nation. He was the King and leadership in this was up to him.  His decisions would shape the nation’s success or the nation’s demise.”

“Jehoshaphat was genuinely afraid. There was an overwhelming force that was coming, but what he did in his fear is important to see - Jehoshaphat then took his fear to the Lord in prayer.”

“He decided to seek the Lord. The phrase ‘he set his face’ to seek the Lord indicates his full attention, and commitment was given to seek the Lord. It was a decision to go to God with his need in prayer. His decision to pray was a godly result of his intense feeling of fear. Fear itself will tempt us to recoil into ourselves, running from the source of that fear, trying to figure it out on our own, just talking it out with others, or distracting ourselves with something else. But Jehosaphat’s decision was based on the truth he knew and believed … that God was his and his nation’s only true rescue and refuge.” 

“Jehoshaphat led the nation in prayer. He began with praise for God, acknowledging his authority exercised from heaven, his rule over the kingdoms, and his sovereign power.  In his prayer, he then reviewed his history of how God drove out the nations before them as they occupied the promised land. He calls on God to defend his people again against the invading enemy trying to remove Judah from the land God has given to his people for their possession.”

“Listen to the attitude, his approach to solving this national issue and the way that Jehoshaphat expressed his trust in God. He could have put his eyes in so many different places at this moment, but he didn’t.

• He could have looked to other nations to become his ally, but he didn’t.  

• He could have looked to the invading army’s vast superiority and just surrendered, or negotiated a peace treaty, but he didn’t. 

• He looked to God and kept his eyes on His Lord Jehovah.”

“Remember, we have more reasons to trust God than Jehoshaphat did: We have a nearer God and a better prophet. We do not have to go to a place to meet with God.  He is with us. Yes, we have full access through Christ to God the Father in heaven.”

“Jehoshaphat did not stop when he heard the prophecy and the promise of deliverance, he instructed them to now praise God through singing, praising God for this promised deliverance.  They had not experienced it yet but trusted God with their lives and futures.  Their trust in God that led them to pray now leads them to express the assurance of the coming victory in song!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
1 Corinthians 6:19
Romans 8:34
Romans 8:26–27
John 16:33
Matthew 28:20
2 Corinthians 12:9
Acts 16:25–27
Proverbs 3:5
Colossians 4:2

QUOTES:
Joni Rickson-Tada- “It may only be seven o’clock in the evening when I am put to bed, and I may not go to sleep until eleven.  That leaves me with hours each day to still myself….and pray.  Sometimes I’m amazed that, from my bed, I can help set into motion the cogs and wheels of God’s workings in the life of the world.  Through my prayers, I may change the destiny of a life – or even a nation.  Lying on my bed, I can hasten the day of the Lord’s return.  I don’t move a muscle in those hours, but I help move the hand of God here and abroad.”

Charles Spurgeon - "There is help in God for your present trial, whatever form it assumes. Infinite wisdom understands it, and infinite power can help you through it.”

APPLICATION:
Q. How are we tempted to respond when we hear news that brings genuine fear into our lives? What action does our first decision lead us to take? 
We will not have the calamity that Jehoshaphat experienced, but in 2024 how often will news come your way from a doctor visit, a news item on TV, or from a phone call, or seeing a Facebook post, or from a text message, from Instagram, or even your own thoughts, that brings news that starts a cascading response in your heart of fear or anxiety.
Where does fear lead you?  Let it lead you to seek the Lord, to prayer as Jehoshaphat did.  Let us be like Jehoshaphat, and let fear, lead us to seek the Lord, and encourage those around us to do the same.  Let’s trust God and Pray.

There are many challenges that are before us, let us trust God with them, pray to God through them, and praise God in the midst of them!

What a joy it was this past Sunday to take some time and recount all of God’s blessings and provisions regarding our facility.  In that story, we have witnessed God’s providence at work, God working through His people as the means of grace, and the fruit of gospel expansion when a small Church has a facility. They can now do mission 24/7.

God providentially provides. Trusting in God’s providence to provide is a crucial element in Church planting.  When a Church planting team relocates or simply births a new Church, God's providence becomes one of His character traits immediately experienced: His provision of people who relocate to join the plant, His provision of a public place for the Church to meet, His provision of leaders early in the process, etc.

In our Church’s story, God manifested His providence early in our Church story by providing a small facility in a highly strategic location. God provided a very visible place that’s easily accessible for the public preaching of the gospel on a weekly basis with no threats that we might show up on a Sunday and not have use of the building (which does actually happen in school rentals).

As we began to invite people to join us for Sunday services, many quickly realized our location and how many times they had driven by.  Strategic and new relationships began with other like-minded Churches and Pusch Ridge Christian School. God was truly directing our paths!

God’s provision was working in us, and God’s people were the financial means of His grace! The members back in 2004 – 2005 faithfully and sacrificially gave so we could take advantage of this opportunity without slowing down the process of bringing Derek Overstreet on staff in February 2005. 

After some modest remodeling in our first five years in the building, it was time for a larger facility project that included nine improvements.  The largest improvement was a county-approved development plan that connected both properties with a parking lot.

After faithfully maintaining the facility over the past ten years, our current members witnessed and sacrificially gave, enabling the payoff of the mortgage! What a joy! We now have a facility that is completely paid for! To God be the glory! 

What does He have for us in the future?  Stay tuned…