5/12/24: Ascension Sunday: Elijah Raises the Widow's Son - 1 Kings 17:17-24

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5/12/2024: Worship Service from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: 1 Kings 17:17-24
Title: Elijah Raises the Widow's Son
Worship Leader: Matt Lambert
Sermon: Senior Pastor Steve Estes

Notes:

One section at a time:

Part 1: The ways of God are mysterious "Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. She said to Elijah, 'What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?'"

A. Things got worse, not better, for the widow
B. Things got worse, not better, for Elijah
C. An infinite God can be baffling to finite creatures

Part 2: If God is going to use you, it will cost you "'Give me your son,' Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Then he cried out to the LORD, 'O LORD my God, hove you brought tragedy also upon this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?' Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried to the LORD, 'O LORD my God, let this boy's life return to him!'"

A. Believers move toward others
B. Elijah got involved with his body
C. Elijah got involved with his prayers
D. Ministry to others is being a bridge between God and them

Part 3: The result "The LORD heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, 'Lood, your son is alive!' Then the woman said to Elijah, 'Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD from your mouth is the truth.'"

A. The God who gives life to the dead
B. We gain faith, and grasp truth, in stages
C. Does this mean we can expect healing?
D. Doubting Thomas

#Elijah #Zarephath #healing

2/18/2024 Worship Service & Sermon - True Spirituality and Spiritual Fruit - Mark 11:11-25

2/18/2024 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Worship Leader: Matt Lambert
Speaker: David Royes
Scripture: Mark 11:11-25
Title: True Spirituality and Spiritual Fruit

Notes:

1. A Parable of empty religion
A. A lens for what Jesus is about to do
B. How false religion works

2. An explanation of authentic spirituality
A. Genuine belief in God's power
B. Dependence on God in prayer
C. The forgiveness of your Father in Heaven

3. Hope for true change
A. Christ was sacrificed for our sins

#Mark #spiritualfruit

12/17/2023 Worship Service & Sermon: Faith Rewarded Tomorrow - Hebrews 11:35-40

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12/17/2023 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Worship Leader: Matt Lambert
Speaker: Steve Estes, Senior Pastor
Scripture: Hebrews 11:35-40
Title: Faith Rewarded Tomorrow

NIV: Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated--the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

ESV: Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated--of whom the world was not worthy--wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Notes:

1. True faith may seem unrewarded in this life
A. Being confined
B. Loss of home or comfort
C. Physical pain
D. A painful death
E. Emotional pain

2. God commends His faithful by contrasting them with the world
A. What God condemns
B. What God loves

3. God's great plan for those with faith
A. Verse 40 is speaking of Old Testament believers after death
B. Verse 40 is also speaking of all believers on the world's final day

Benediction: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

#Hebrews #faith

8/6/2023 Worship Service & Sermon

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8/6/2023 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-2, 6
Title: What is Faith?
Worship Leader: Matt Lambert
Speaker: Steve Estes

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received commendation...And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Notes:

1. Mistaken ideas about faith
A. Wishful thinking
B. Emotion

2. Faith is a confidence in God based on good reasons
A. Confidence in God
B. Based on good reasons
C. More about faith based on good reasons

3. Faith responds positively to what God says

4. Lessons
A. Faith involves your mind and your will

#faith #assurance #Hebrews

7/16/2023 Worship Service and Sermon: Focused Eyes for Spiritual Endurance - Philippians 3:16-4:1

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7/16/2023 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Worship Leader: Matt Lambert
Speaker: David Royes
Scripture: Philippians 3:16-4:1
Title: Focused Eyes for Spiritual Endurance

Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

Notes:

1. Eyes on true faith in true believers

2. Eyes weeping for the world around us
A. Short-lived pleasure
B. Suppressed conscience
C. Secular mentality

3. Eyes up toward Heaven

5/7/2023 Worship Service and Sermon: Earthly Suffering, Eternal Glory - 2 Corinthians 4:12-18

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5/7/2023 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:12-18
Title: Earthly Suffering, Eternal Glory
Worship Leader: Matt Lambert
Speaker: Steve Estes

So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. [But] It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Notes:

1. Christians have real troubles in this life

2. Christians are renewed by their faith
A. David's faith in the Old Testament
B. Paul's faith in the New Testament

3. Renewing faith is faith that our troubles will be replaced by resurrection glory
A. The basic teaching
B. Objection: the road is hard and Heaven seems so far away
C. How our trials are "light"
D. How our trials are "momentary"

4. Renewing faith is faith that our troubles actually increase our future glory
A. Your sufferings will make you more glorious
B. Your sufferings increase your future glory by making others more glorious
C. Your sufferings increase your future glory by bringing greater glory to God Himself

5. What all this glory-through-suffering will look like on the Great Day
A. Beauty
B. Splendor
C. Honor
i. The Charge of the Light Brigade
D. All reflecting Christ's glory

#suffering #christianlife #glory

11/20/2022 Worship Service and Sermon: The Word in the Beginning - John 1:1-18

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11/20/2022 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Worship Leader: Matt Lambert
Speaker: Steve Estes Scripture: John 1:1-18
Title: The Word in the Beginning

Notes:

1. In the beginning...
A. The Word existed
B. The Word was with God
C. The Word was God

2. The "Logos" (Word)
A. Pagan understanding of "The Logos"
i. John: "Let me tell you about this Word"
B. Jewish understanding of "The Logos"
i. John: "Through the Word all things were made"

3. Summary

4. Applications
1. God smiles on creativity in presenting the gospel to non-Christians
2. You cannot reach God except through Jesus
3. Your savior is mysterious
4. To stand before him...
i. in judgment: indescribably awful
ii. accepted: thrilling beyond words

#John #theWord #JesusChrist

2/13/2022 Worship Service and Sermon: Saved… for his Glory - Exodus 15:22-27

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2/13/2022 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Worship Leader: Matt Lambert
Speaker: David Royes
Title: Saved… for his Glory
Scripture: Exodus 15:22-27


The Danger of Grumbling amidst Grace

The Reality of Testing alongside triumph

The Hope of Balm after bitterness

#Moses #Grumbling #Test