Calvary Baptist Church - Canyon Texas - David Crump, Pastor

2 Corinthians 12:1-4 Paul is boasting in his ministry because the church in Corinth was listening to false teachers. So Paul has spent the majority of 2 Cor defending his message and ministry. Paul is talking about himself. He had a vision or was taken up to the highest level of heaven and saw visions and heard things that he could not tell. It must have been magnificent. 2 Corinthians 12:5-6 Paul says, he will not boast about it, but will boast in his weakness. We often cover our weaknesses and put our strengths out front. 2 Corinthians 12:7 We don’t know what Paul’s thorn was. Lust, enemies of the gospel, headache, ear ache, blindness – all conjecture. Maybe it’s better that we don’t know. Paul's thorn was given to him to keep him from being conceited. If Paul needed something to keep him from pride, don’t we all? It caused him real suffering. The term means harass, buffet, was used about a blow to the face. It was brought by a messenger of Satan. We struggle with this. The thorn was given to P

2 Corinthians 3 - Moses' face shone after he received the OT Law, but his glory faded. The new covenant - faith in Jesus brings forgiveness of sins - that glory is ever growing. We are being transformed more and more into the glory of the image of Jesus. 2 Corinthians 4 - God has shone the light of the knowledge of the glory of Christ in our hearts. Now, it's like we are ordinary clay jars with something extraordinary inside - the glory of Christ. We are ordinary people, look ordinary, have struggles, common, nothing special on the outside. But on the inside, there is something extraordinary, a treasure, from God. It has a preserving affect on us. We face all kinds of trouble, but are not destroyed by it. Paul is describing the difference that Christ makes in the life of a believer. The follower of Christ is being transformed to be more like Jesus Christ. The follower of Christ is a common person with common problems, but they have been changed forever on the inside. They will never be the same. Paul will

by Clint Chambers

Corinth had problems – dissentions, immorality, and quarrels between believers 1:10 Paul appeals to them to get along b/c they are quarreling about whose teaching they follow: Paul’s or Apollo’s. 5:1 Sexual immorality - A man had taken his father’s wife – and they’re proud of it. 6:1 Christians were suing Christians in the church 6:12-20 There was sexual immorality 8 Confusion about eating food sacrificed to pagan idols 11 Lack of order in worship – attention hogs 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 Their quarreling showed they were immature. They were not ready to grow in their faith. They would not mature until they learned to love each other instead of arguing with each other. Their quarreling showed they were still worldly. Their quarreling showed that Jesus’ love had not changed their hearts. 12 Spiritual gifts – the variety and purpose – to build up the church 14 How to practice spiritual gifts Right in the middle of those is the love chapter. It shows that the church functions when its environment is love. It shows

Matthew 21:1-11 – Palm Sunday The gospels reveal to us Jesus’ identity. They show Jesus to be not just a man, not just a savior, but the rightful king over everything. He shows his power and authority over disease (heals blindness, leprosy, raised dead). He shows his power and authority over creation (calms storms, multiplies food) He shows his power and authority over spiritual powers (casts out demons) He shows the supremacy of his wisdom, his teaching caused people to marvel at his authority. We read Matthew 17 this week where his appearance changed to reveal his true nature. His face and clothes shined out light, physically showing the glory of his power and authority. Matthew 21:1-3 Jesus was worshipped as king – his glory, power and authority are finally recognized by people. The rightful King has the right to everything in creation. Matthew 21:4-8 Jesus was announcing that he was indeed a king, but not a warrior-king. He rode in on donkey’s colt, showing he was a meek king – a king of peace. W

King of Glory - part III

Trey Andrews reports on his mission studies activities.

The New Testament speaks of a clashing of two kingdoms. It tells of a kingdom of light and a kingdom of darkness. Jesus referred over and again of the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God. Jesus was tempted and baptized and then began his public ministry. When he first began his public ministry, Matthew 4:17 says, “From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’” The kingdom of heaven is the rule and the reign of God. Jesus referred to the kingdom of heaven drawing near with his teaching and preaching. The world has been under the dominion of the enemy since the fall of man. From that time until now, everyone has been born into a fallen world, born to fallen parents. Every man and woman has been under the curse of sin because every one of us also choose to sin. Choosing to sin reveals our sinful nature and it reveals that we were under the rule of the enemy. But when Jesus came, he introduced a new rule under the rightful ruler. He came announcing that God was restorin

When you read Matthew, you cannot forget the importance of this story. You must grasp the depth of the problem that Jesus was born into. Since the fall of mankind, demonic powers have ruled over the creation. Christianity agrees… this universe is at war. But it does not think this is a war between independent powers. It thinks it is a civil war, a rebellion, and that we are living in a part of the universe occupied by the rebel. Enemy-occupied territory – that is what this world is. – C.S. Lewis This “enemy occupation” of creation came when the man, Adam, was deceived by the serpent. Adam was given dominion over the creation, but surrendered it on that day when he chose the temptation of Satan over obedience to God. Paul wrote in Romans that all of creation, not just Adam, not just mankind, was affected by Adam’s sin. All of creation is waiting for the restoration of God’s appointed rulers. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subject

Guest Speaker, Mike Shutts, Missionary

Marriage - Clint Chambers, Youth Minister

Guest Speaker, Scott Auth

If you want to hear from God more clearly; if you want to understand his will better than you have before, you must seek him like never before. I am praying for a desperation for God in our midst. Greater desperation leads to greater seeking of God. I am praying for an urgency in seeking The Lord among us. Often in the scriptures - and in our own lives - Gods people develop an urgency to seek him when things go wrong in their lives. What if, though, we were so desperate to see God at work in our midst and desperate for greater revelation of His will that we sough Him with greater urgency? How much time do we spend in prayer? Are we praying with urgency? Are we praying with desperation for God? If you want to hear from God in an extraordinary way, you cannot seek him as you ordinarily do. Acts 4:1-31 The first church believers were praying not, "God, do my will," but, "God, help us do your will." They knew they were called to share their faith. All of us are. When things got tough, they knew they would

God Is In Control - Guest Speaker, Scott Auth

God’s Presence, Our Hope When Nehemiah heard about the condition of Jerusalem and was undone. He fasted and prayed for four months. It seems that during that time, God gave him a vision, a calling and inspiration to rebuild the wall. If our lives lack vision, it’s probably from a lack of wholehearted seeking the Lord. While they worked to rebuild the wall, they faced constant threats from their enemies. God uses adversity to strengthen faith. By it, He showed the Jews and their enemies that He was with them and by His power the wall was rebuilt. When they completed the work on the wall, Ezra read the book of the Law to them and they wept. But Nehemiah told them it was a time of joy – the Lord showed his favor to them and helped them. He said, The joy of the Lord is your strength. Last week in Ezra we read that Cyrus the Persian king sent out a decree to allow the Jews to rebuild the temple. This fulfilled a prophecy written 120 years before when God spoke to Isaiah and said he would use “Cyrus” to rebuild Jer

Ordinary People, Extraordinary Calling – Faith-Filled and Ready More than 120 years before the events recorded in Ezra, Isaiah spoke of a leader who would rebuild Jerusalem. Isaiah 44:24-28 More than 120 years later, Cyrus rises as the king of Persia. Ezra 1:1-11 Cyrus helps the exiles return to Jerusalem v. 1 – “to fill the word of the Lord” – Cyrus may have known the prophecy from Isaiah that bore his name. “the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus” – Cyrus was not a Jew. Jehovah was not his God. Yet, God moved him and would use him to keep his promise to restore Jerusalem. He used several Persian kings to fulfill his will. We often think that God’s work is limited to our resources. God’s resources have no limits. He can use anyone to accomplish all that He desires. “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.” – Proverbs 21:1 We often limit our prayers to things that we think we can accomplish. That is not God-honoring prayer. Romans 4:17-21 Abrah

Nehemiah 6:15-16 After 140 years since the walls of Jerusalem had been destroyed by the enemies of Israel, the walls were rebuilt in just 52 days. Nehemiah led the people to do something they never thought they could – neither did their enemies. But they worked together, as one body. Groups of people rebuilt gates. Some people carried materials. Some stood guard to protect the workers. Every day, ordinary people built the walls of Jerusalem near their homes. Ordinary people accomplished an extraordinary task. The act was so amazing that it caused their enemies to be demoralized. It was obvious that God had helped the Jews. Now, with the walls rebuilt, the people came to hear the Word of God. Nehemiah 8:1-6 Ezra reads the Law Ezra had returned to Jerusalem 13 years before Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a layman. He was not a priest or a prophet. He was a cupbearer with a vision from God to restore the city of Jerusalem. Ezra was a scribe. He would now lead the people in spiritual renewal. The people stood, r

Nehemiah 4:1-14 vv. 1-5 The more success the Jews have rebuilding the wall, the more opposition they receive from the Persian's governors. Sanballat and Tobiah ridicule them in hopes of discouraging them. Nehemiah again looks to God for help. First he prayed for help with the wall, then for help with the king, now for help with their opponents. vv. 6-9 In spite of the ridicule, the people kept building. Then the ridicule turned to plotting. In response, the Jews post guards and again prayed to God for help. Nehemiah and the people constantly turn to God for help. There is a dedication both to the work and to prayer. vv. 10-14 Troubling news: the workers are exhausted and their enemies have plotted to infiltrate their ranks and kill them. What would they do? Give up? How do they interpret this trouble? Was God not in this? Was He telling them they were doing something wrong? Were they suffering because they were in sin? No. They interpret this as adversity that they need to overcome with the Lord's help.

c. 700 B.C. Assyrian king besieged Jerusalem Several Assyrian kings deported thousands of Israelites Some moved in pagan peoples c. 600 B.C. Babylonians take captives from Samaria Destroyed Jerusalem, the temple, and the city wall Nebuchadnezzar took leaders - including Daniel to Babylon left the poor without leaders 539 B.C. Persians overthrow the Babylonians (Greece c. 550 B.C., including Athens) 538 B.C. First Jewish exiles return to Jerusalem under Zerubabel 458 B.C. Ezra took back exiles to rebuild the temple 445 B. C. Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem Nehemiah 1:1-4 v. 3 "great trouble and distress" walls broken down and gates burned v. 4 "sat down and wept" anything move you like this? Nehemiah is so distressed by the condition of Jerusalem that he began praying "day and night." He wept and mourned and continued in fasting and praying (all before he took any action on his own). How the news from Jerusalem had moved him! What if all God's children prayed with this much heart? What strongholds of the ene

Guest Speaker, Scott Auth