What Zechariah is Dreaming of this Christmas I. FINDING our FOOTING in Zechariah.A. UNDERSTANDING the CONTEXT. (1:1-6)B. DISCERNING the literary STRUCTURE. (Chap. 1-6)C. HOPE is the HEART of the MESSAGE
Read moreTag: Jeff Kuhn
1 Samuel: Listening to What God Says – Part 12 | 1 Samuel 8
We Need a King I. A TYPICAL, yet highly IRONIC request. (v.1-5)A. It’s not UNEXPECTED. (v.3-4,8; Deut. 17:14)B. EVERYONE is DOING it. (v.5; 1 Sam. 12:12)C. But don’t MISS the
Read more1 Samuel: Listening to What God Says – Part 11 | 1 Samuel 4-7
Using God for our own purposes I. The STORY of one more bad DECISION. (4:1-21)A. They QUESTION, but don’t wait for an ANSWER. (v.1-4)B. A FALSE sense of SECURITY. (v.5-9)C.
Read more1 Samuel: Listening to What God Says – Part 10 | 1 Samuel 3:1-21
The Last Judge…the First Prophet 1 Samuel 3:1-21 I. SOMETHING is DIFFERENT about this one. (1 Sam. 1-2)A. It starts with FAITHFULNESS and LONGING. (1 Sam. 1)B. A BLESSING given
Read moreJudges: NOT Following Where God Leads – Part 9 | Judges 17:1-13
Replacing the God we have Forgotten I. Unusual ACTIONS flow from mixed up MOTIVES. (v.1-13)A. Lives CENTRED around the SELF. (v.1-4; Lk 6:32-36)B. Actions MOTIVATED by FEAR. (v.2-3; Titus 2:11-13)C.
Read moreJudges: NOT Following Where God Leads – Part 8 | Judges 11:1-40
Forgetting Who (and How) God Is I. The STORY of JEPHTHAH the judge. (v.1-40)A. Mighty WARRIOR and REJECTED son. (v.1-3)B. Until he had SOMETHING to OFFER. (v.4-11)C. An ATTEMPT at
Read moreJudges: NOT Following Where God Leads – Part 6 | Judges 2:6-23
The Book of Judges – Cole’s Notes Version I. Judges: The LONG downward SPIRAL. (2:6-23)A. The DEATH of JOSHUA. (1:1; 2:8-9)B. The CANAANITES are not REMOVED. (1:1-2:5)C. MORE than just
Read moreJoshua: Following Where God Leads – Part 5 | Joshua 23:1-24:27
Joshua’s Last Words…and Some Other Last Words I. Reading the TEXT as we SHOULD. (Joshua 23-24)A. STRAP on your SANDALS.B. Let the GRAVITY of the MOMENT sink in. (23:1-3; 24:1)
Read moreJoshua: Following Where God Leads – Part 4 | Joshua 8:30-35
A Departure from the Norm I. One of these THINGS is not like the OTHERS. (Joshua 8-22)A. Listing the BATTLES and the defeated KINGS. (Joshua 8-12)B. DIVIDING up the TERRITORY. (Joshua 13-22)C...
Read moreJoshua: Following Where God Leads – Part 3 | Joshua 6-7
A Tale of Two Cities I. Some initial QUESTIONS to ADDRESS.A. Why DRIVE OUT the CANAANITES? (Lev. 18; Deut 12:29-31)B. Doesn’t JESUS say to love our ENEMIES? (Deut 9:5)C. Don’t
Read moreJoshua: Following Where God Leads – Part 2 | Joshua 3:1 - 4:24
Taking the Next Step… I. It is TIME to move FORWARD. (3:1-5)A. One TEXT, several VOICES. (3:1-4:24)B. The NARRATIVE is a bit CLUNKY. (3:6,14; 3:12,4:2; 3:17,4:12) Last week we saw
Read moreJoshua: Following Where God Leads – Part 1 | Joshua 1:1-18
Time for a New Leader…or is it? I. It’s a TIME of TRANSITION. (v.1-6)A. WAITING for a GENERATION to die. (Numbers 14)B. A visible CHANGE of LEADERSHIP. (v.1-2)C. LEARNING from
Read moreRuth: From Bitterness to Blessed – Part 4 | Ruth 4:1-21
The Multiple Levels of the Story I. UNDERSTANDING the small STORY. (v.1-21)A. Boaz NAVIGATES the DETAILS beautifully. (v.1-8)B. All is done DECENTLY and in ORDER. (v.9-12)C. A CHILD is BORN.
Read moreRuth: From Bitterness to Blessed – Part 3 | Ruth 3:1-18
A Less Bitter Naomi Develops a Plan I. From BITTER to HOPEFUL to a PLAN. (v.1-6)A. Naomi BEGINS to take ACTION. (v.1-2)B. For Ruth, a SHIFT from MOURNING. (v.3)C. A
Read moreRuth: From Bitterness to Blessed – Part 2 | Ruth 2:1-23
What to do when God seems absent I. The THREE main CHARACTERS. (1:20-2:23)A. Naomi: Feeling BITTER and AFFLICTED. (1:20-21)B. Ruth: Showing LOYAL love in VISIBLE ways. (1:16-17; 2:2,7,17)C. Boaz: A
Read morePhilippians: Joy Centred in Jesus – Part 5 | Phil. 3:12-4:3
Travelling the Spiritual Journey I. Have PATIENCE with the PROCESS. (3:12-16)A. Understand NOBODY has ARRIVED. (3:12-13)B. TRUST in the “HOLD” of Jesus. (3:12)C. Between the PAST and the FUTURE. (3:13-14)D.
Read morePhilippians: Joy Centred in Jesus – Part 4 | Phil. 2:19-3:11
The Foundation of the Gospel I. The FLOW of the LETTER. (2:19-3:11)A. Paul’s JOY in RELATIONSHIPS. (2:19-2:30)B. An ALMOST transition to the END. (3:1)C. A REDIRECT to an important ISSUE.
Read morePhilippians: Joy Centred in Jesus – Part 3 | Phil. 1:27-2:18
What A Joy Inspired Life Looks Like I. The GOSPEL shapes all of LIFE. (1:27-2:4)A. STANDING firm…whatever HAPPENS. (v.27-29)B. CONNECTED and COURAGEOUS. (v.27-38)C. Two GRACIOUSLY given GIFTS. (v.29-30) As Jake
Read morePhilippians: Joy Centred in Jesus – Part 1 | Acts 16:11-40
The Birth of a New Church I. Four SCENES in the BIRTH of a church. (v.11-40)A. PRAYER at the RIVER. (v.11-15)B. CONFRONTING spiritual FORCES. (v.16-18)C. CHALLENGING the cultural NORMS. (v.19-24)D.
Read moreThe Gospel According to Romans – Part 10 | Romans 14:1-15:13
Loving the church and others as they are… I. DEALING with our DISAGREEMENTS. (14:1-12)A. REMEMBER the CONTEXT. (1:7)B. Avoid CONDEMNATION and CONDESCENSION. (14:1-3,10)C. There is an EXTERNAL STANDARD… (14:4,7-8,11-12)D. …YOU...
Read more