4/21/24 Worship Service & Sermon: Ahab Ascends, Elijah Denounces - 1 Kings 16:29-17:1

4/21/2024 Worship Service from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Sermon: Senior Pastor, Steve Estes
Worship Leader: Luke Stoltzfus
Scripture: 1 Kings 16:29-17:1
Title: Ahab Ascends, Elijah Denounces

In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him.

In Ahab's time, Hiel of Bethel rebuilt Jericho. He laid its foundations at the cost of his firstborn son Abiram, and he set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, in accordance with the word of the LORD spoken by Joshua son of Nun. Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word."

Notes:

1. Ahab's day didn't seem evil

2. Alliance with Sidon
A. King Ethbaal
B. Princess Jezebel
C. Canaanite religion
D. Jezebel's unholy mission

3. Two brief episodes
A. The sons of Hiel at Jericho
B. The prophet Elijah at Samaria

4. Lessons
A. Sin usually presents itself as "no big deal"
B. Sin always progresses
C. God is always working even while evil rages

#1kings #Ahab #Elijah

4/14/2024 Worship Service & Sermon: A Story of Three Dynasties - 1 Kings 16:8-28

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4/14/2024 Worship Service from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: 1 Kings 16:8-28
Title: A Story of Three Dynasties
Worship Leader: Randy Hepler
Speaker: Steve Estes

Notes:

1. Elah: The Carousing King
A. His degenerate reign
B. His sad end
C. A warning about the worship of pleasure
D. The double evil of pulling others into our own sins

2. Zimri: The Tough-Guy King
A .He ends Baasha's dynasty the same way it began
B. His dynasty ends in a blaze of defiance
C. The ultimate expression of self-determination

3. Four years of civil war

4. Omri: The Winner Who Was a Loser
A. Politically a winner
B. Spiritually a loser

#Elah #Zimri #Omri

4/7/2024 Worship Service & Sermon: Problem, Prayer, Promise and Paradox - Psalm 12:1-8

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4/7/2024 Worship Service from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: Psalm 12:1-8
Title: Problem, Prayer, Promise, and Paradox
Worship Leader: Dawson Estes
Speaker: Tyler Estes

Save, O LORD, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man. Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, those who say, "With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?" "Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise," says the LORD; "I will place him in the safety for which he longs." The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. You, O LORD, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever. On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

Notes:

1. David laments the problem of living in a lying society
A. David observes part of the problem is that something absent should be present
B. David observes another part of the problem is that something present should be absent
C. David observes that the flatterers are arrogant
D. David observes that the problem is pervasive

2. David prays for God to intervene

3. The promise and provision of God's word
A. When God says He will act, it is as good as done
B. Consider your Bible: God speaks to you through this book
C. The word of God is pure
D. The word of God is profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness

4. Note the paradox at the end
A. God's promise and the present reality
B. What do we make of "I will now arise?"

5. Applications
A. Do not despair
B. Do not abandon the word of God
C. Do not exalt wickedness
D. Instead of exalting wickedness, exalt goodness

#psalms #problem #promise #paradox #prayer

3/31/2024 Easter Service & Sermon: Adam, Christ, Easter & You - 1 Corinthians 15:20-23

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3/31/2024 Easter Service from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:20-23
Title: Adam, Christ, Easter, and You
Worship Leader: Matt Griffith
Speaker: Steve Estes

NIV: If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

ESV: If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as all die in Adam, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

Notes:

1. The Bible acknowledges: When viewed a certain way, Christians appear pathetic
A. Not many early Christians were high-achievers
B. Many Christians appear to miss out
C. Jesus' followers sometimes lack the skills that seem to matter in this life
D. If this life is all there is, Christians are to be pitied

2. The resurrection of Jesus is what guarantees the resurrection of His followers

3. Our link to Christ's resurrection is illustrated by our link with Adam
A. All human beings have moral weaknesses
B. We are morally flawed because we are all descended from Adam

4. A defense of the doctrine of original sin: "My fate is affected by others"
A. Everyone agrees with this principle when it works in our favor
B. Everyone agrees with this principle in situations where we must often be represented by others
C. It makes sense that the same principle applies in spiritual matters

5. Death through Adam, life through Christ

6. One final thought

Benediction May the God of life who raised our Lord Jesus raise you on that great day because you believe in His Son. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Amen.

#Adam #Christ #Easter

3/29/2024 Good Friday

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3/24/2024 Worship Service & Sermon: The Fall of the House of Jeroboam: Nadab & Baasha - 1 Kings 15:25-16:7

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3/24/2024 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Worship Leader: Matt Carter
Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: 1 Kings 15:25-16:7
Title: The Fall of the House of Jeroboam

Notes:

1. Nadab's evil reign
A. His sins
B. His assassination

2. Baasha's usurpation
A. Background
B. God's summary of Baasha's reign
C. Same idolatry, same judgment

3. A doctrine we are familiar with

4. A doctrine we may be unfamiliar with...and find puzzling
A. God predicts Baasha will destroy Jeroboam's dynasty
B. God will punish Baasha for doing this
C. God's sovereignty over sin.
i. God is too holy to sin (Habakkuk 1:13)
ii. God is too holy to cause anyone else to sin (James 1:13-14)
iii. God controls every sin to ultimately further His own righteous purposes
iv. God will bring sinners into judgment

5. God's sovereignty in Christ's crucifixion

3/17/2024 Worship Service & Sermon: Jeroboam’s Dying Son & Dying Kingdom

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3/17/2024 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: 1 Kings 14:1-20
Title: Jeroboam's Dying Son & Dying Kingdom
Worship Leader: Steve Boyer
Speaker: Steve Estes

Notes:

1. Sorrow in Tirzah
A. Jeroboam's son is gravely ill
B. Jeroboam sends his wife to inquire of Ahijah the prophet
C. Jeroboam's message travels ahead of his wife
D. Ahijah's message looks backward
E. Ahijah's message looks forward

2. God wants us to feel the loss that comes from rejecting Him
A. We learn Abijah's name
B. The story grows gradually darker
C. Tragedy is told through the sad experience of the mother
D. A short summary of Jeroboam's life
E. The point

3. This tragedy exposes the horrible nature of sin
A. Sin = ingratitude for mercies God has shown
B. Sin = attempting to manipulate God
C. Sin = Thrusting God behind one's back
D. Result

4. God's mercy in a message of judgment
A. Mercy to David
B. Mercy to Abijah
C. Mercy to readers of 1 Kings

#Jeroboam #sin

3/10/2024 Worship Service & Sermon: The Young Prophet and the Old Prophet - 1 Kings 13

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3/10/2024 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: 1 Kings 13
Title: The Young Prophet and the Old Prophet
Worship Leader: Dawson Estes
Speaker: Steve Estes

Notes:

1. The young prophet denounces Jeroboam
A. The grand opening for Jeroboam's religion
B. A voice from the crowd
C. A supernatural sign
D. Jeroboam's response
E. Jeroboam's chastening

2. The young prophet meets the old prophet
A. The sons' report
B. The old prophet's deception
C. The young prophet's punishment

3. Questions the writer deems unimportant

4. Theme of the passage
A. What does matter to the writer?
B. Jeroboam and the Word of the Lord
C. The young prophet and the Word of the Lord
D. The old prophet and the Word of the Lord

#1Kings #WordoftheLord

3/3/2024 Worship Service & Sermon: Learning to Distrust Ourselves - Luke 22:28-34

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3/3/2024 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Worship Leader: David Dailey
Speaker: Rich Goswiller
Scripture: Luke 22:28-34
Title: Learning to Distrust Ourselves

"You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." Peter said to him, "Lord, I am willing to go with you both to prison and to death." Jesus said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me."

Notes:

1. The setting for the evening

2. The first declaration of Jesus
A. "Satan has demanded"
B. "To have you"
C. "To sift you like wheat"

3. The second declaration of Jesus
A. "I have prayed for you"
B. "When you have turned again..."

4. Peter's declaration and Jesus' prediction
A. Peter's misplaced confidence
B. Our misplaced confidence

5. What shall we say to these things?
A. There is potential for serious lapse and/or declension
B. We have an all-sufficient Savior
C. Always be wary of deadly self-deception

Benediction: Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time, and now and forever. Amen.

02/25/2024 Worship Service & Sermon: Baptized in Fire and Spirit - Luke 3:15-18

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2/25/2024 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Worship Leader: Dave Stoltzfus
Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Luke 3:15-18
Title: Baptized in Fire and Spirit

The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.

Notes:

1. The voice in the desert

2. Why people came
A. Many felt spiritual need
B. Fear of death
C. Others came for lesser reasons

3. "I baptize you with water"
A. A ritual cleansing
B. An illustration of a greater Person than John

4. "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit"
A. What John means by "baptize"
B. Holy Spirit at creation
C. Holy Spirit helps people over what threatens them
D. Holy Spirit purifies people's very souls
E. John proclaims people will gain the Holy Spirit through the Messiah

5. "He will baptize you with fire"
A. Terrible judgment/consequences for sins
B. John exhorts, "Repent!"
C. To those who repent, the fire of judgment was endured by Jesus Christ
D. Thus, Messiah's offer of baptism is good news

6. Final applications

#Luke #baptism