Pastor’s Corner.

Thoughts from our leadership.

The Journey To Easter – Part 2 – Sermon Notes

The Journey To Easter – Part 2 – Sermon Notes

Bryant H. McGill- There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.

Jesus Speaks To The Father

Luke 23:34–37 (ESV) 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do…” 

Matthew 26:28 (ESV) for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Luke 23:34–37 (ESV) 34b And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”

Matthew 27:44 (ESV) 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. 

Penned Truth- Jesus Christ’s words of compassion and loving concern for the empty, sin-laden crowd show God’s merciful and gracious nature in action.

Jesus Speaks To One Of The Criminals 

Mark 15:27 (ESV) 27 And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. 

Isaiah 53:12 (NLT) 12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

Luke 23:39–42 (ESV) 39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, (pause) saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” (pause) 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 

Luke 23:43 (ESV) 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Luke 23:43 (NLT) 43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Penned Truth: Compassion fuels Acts of kindness and mercy.  

Final Word- It is remarkable that, during His excruciating and mind-numbing torment of the cross, Jesus focused not on the people’s evil words or what they had done to Him but on forgiveness. Alicia Bruxvoort noted that the shape of true love isn’t a diamond; it’s a cross.   

The Journey To Easter – Part 2 – Sermon Notes

The Journey To Easter – Part 1 – Sermon Notes

Matthew 16:21 (ESV) 21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. (Also, Mark 8:31–32, Luke 9:21–22). 

Mark 8:32 (ESV) 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 

Mark 8:33 (ESV) 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Also, Matthew 16:22-23). 

Penned Truth: Jesus was habitually, constantly, consistently, unwaveringly steadfast, and unmovable in His mission to get to the cross for us!

Matthew 17:1–6 (ESV) 1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 

Mark 9:30–32 (ESV) 30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.  (Also, Matthew 17:22–23; Luke 9:43–45). 

Luke 18:31–33 (ESV) 31 And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. 33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” (Also, Matthew 20:17–19; Mark 10:32–34).

Matthew 12:40 (ESV) 40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ( Also, Luke 11:29–32).

Matthew 27:62–64 (ESV) 62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day…

Final Word: Why is this Sermon Important? It reminds us that Jesus is still reminding us that he came to the earth “to seek and to save the lost.”

Love Defined – Audio

Love:Defined – Sermon Notes

Wizard of OZ, pulling back the curtain

Review of the last few sermons:

Four Types of Love mentioned in the Bible

Eros

Refers to physical or sexual love. The word comes from the mythological Greek god of love, Eros, whose Roman counterpart was Cupid. The word “erotic” comes from “eros”.

Philia

Means “affectionate regard, friendship”. It is usually “between equals” and is a dispassionate virtuous love.

Storge

Refers to familial love, such as that of a mother for her baby or of a brother and sister for each other.

Agape

The highest of the four types of love in the Bible. This term defines God’s immeasurable, incomparable love for humankind. It is the divine love that comes from God. Agape love is perfect, unconditional, sacrificial, and pure.

LOVE:DEFINED

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 NLT

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Who Does Love Affect? 

The Tristate of LOVE:  Godly Love, Neighborly Love, Self Love

We talk a lot about the first 2 in church, but barely speak of the 3rd

Love:Defined

WHAT LOVE IS:

Patience – the capacity to accept or tolerate trouble or suffering without getting angry or upset.

Kindness – the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.

WHAT LOVE IS NOT:

NOT Jealous – the feeling or showing of envy of someone or their achievements or advantages.

NOT Boastful/Proud – excessive pride and self-satisfaction in one’s achievements. Possessions or abilities. 

NOT Rude – offensively impolite or ill mannered

NOT Demanding – making others work hard or meet high standards

NOT Irritable – having or showing a tendency to be easily annoyed or made or angry

Does not keep record of being wronged – being unjustly injured (emotionally, spiritually or physically) 

Does not rejoice about Injustice – lack of fairness 

ACTIONS OF LOVE:

It never gives up

Never loses faith

Always Hopeful 

Endures – remains firm under suffering or misfortune without yielding

Luke 15: 11-32

Parable of the Lost Son

11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’

20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.[b]

22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’

28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’

31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”

LOVE:DEFINED – THOURGH THE FATHER

LOVE:DEFINED – THROUGH THE BROTHER

LOVE:DEFINED – THOURGH THE PRODICAL SON

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