Harris Creek Baptist Church

Latest Episodes:

The Cure for Dead Religion Apr 17, 2022

Show notes

It’s Easter Sunday, and as Christians we celebrate new life because of Easter. However, in order to talk about new life, you must first talk about death. As we continue our series, Unseen Battle, JP teaches through John 3:1-18, teaching us about the reality of all of our condition…a condition that leads to death…and the cure for it.

1) If Satan cannot kill you in rebellion, he will try to keep you in a dead religion

2) The only cure for our condition is Christ

3) The resurrection means death is defeated

The Cost of the Cross Apr 15, 2022

Show notes

Once you are aware of the high cost of something, you handle it with more care. Since someone else paid the bill, it’s easy for us to forget the incredibly high cost of our salvation. Jesus was crucified, and while to the world it is foolishness, to us it is our salvation.

The Right Response to Evil Apr 10, 2022

Show notes

One of the greater arguments against Christianity is the presence of evil in our world. What do we do with evil? What is a right response to evil? As we continue our series, Unseen Battle, JP teaches through Mark 4:35-5:20, teaching us just that: a right response to evil.
1) Satan seeks to keep you a slave
2) Satan is no struggle for the Savior
3) Jesus simply saves the enslaved

Surviving Satan's Attacks Apr 03, 2022

Show notes

When you are at a low moment, how does satan attack you? What about when you are at a high moment? When and how does he attack you most? As we continue our sermon series, Unseen Battle, JP teaches through the first couple chapters of Job, showing us how the enemy attacks us.

1) Satan can only do what God allows

2) Satan allows us to trust God

3) What is our right response in an attack?

Know Your Enemy Mar 27, 2022

Show notes

Do you believe in the devil? If not, why not? If so, how does your belief impact how you live every day? As we start a new series, Unseen Battles, JP teaches through Ezekiel 28, teaching us about the devil, how he works, and how we can resist him.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

-“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.” -C.S. Lewis

-If you don’t know your enemy you will suffer loss in every battle.

-Angels are created beings; they have not existed in eternity past like God.

-Angels are stronger and smarter than humans are. One day, humans will sit and judge over them.

-Satan is a fallen angel.

-Did God create evil? No. God created the possibility of evil, but not evil.

-God created satan as good, and good is a thing. The absence of good is evil.

-Light is a thing. Darkness is not a thing. Darkness is the absence of light. Similarly, cold is only a word because hot is a word. Cold is what is left when you remove heat.

-When you begin to focus on what you don’t have you begin to step on satan’s playground.

-Discontentment blinds you from blessings.

-“Is God really good?” is the question behind all questions, along with “Can I trust Him?”

-Satan is on earth.

-Satan is not currently in hell. He is on earth. Someday he will face eternal judgment there, but right now he is on earth.

-Satan is not everywhere on earth. He is not omnipresent. He has likely never been anywhere near you.

-Make no mistake, you can go to church and still worship satan. Anything you do that is not in faith toward God can be worshipful toward him.

-Disney and Marvel and Harry Potter are printing money off the reality of the biblical narrative that we live in: a battle between good and evil.

-Can angels still sin? They have thousands and thousands of years of knowledge and wisdom and revelation that following God is the way to go.

-Satan is a liar.

-Satan’s main lie is “God is not good and you cannot trust Him.”

-Satan calls what is evil good and what is good evil.

-Satan and demons can’t read our minds, but they’ve studied humans for thousands of years and know how to trick and deceive us.

-A common strategy satan uses in 2022 is that you should find “your truth”. There are not multiple versions of truth. There is the Truth, and His name is Jesus.

-The Gospel is the greatest Truth you will ever encounter, and once you know and believe the Gospel, the next is that God’s Word is true and can be trusted.

-We are all part of a supernatural narrative where God is rescuing people from satan through His Son, Jesus.

Committed Mar 20, 2022

Show notes

What are you committed to in life? Work, kids, material possessions, money, friendships, family? Are you overcommitted to any of them? As we finish our series, Life Together, Trent Horner teaches the third value of community, committed, by studying Romans 12:9-18.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

-The first two community core values are authentic and biblical. Go back and watch those sermons if you missed them.

-If you are an informed sports fan but you don’t know God’s Word, that’s a problem.

-A commitment to community is based on love.

-In order to love others you must be a student of them and learn what’s important to them.

-Do you know the the story of the people you are in life group with? Their fears, insecurities, past, goals, dreams?

-Go make a memory and have fun with your life group. Be intentional about creating unique shared experiences.

-A commitment to community is a test of endurance.

-As christians, we are always on mission and at war. Always.

-The closest and most meaningful relationships are often just that because they’ve stood the test of time.

-What if you approached your life group with a long distance, marathon mentality?

-You will encounter conflict and difficulty along the way. If you don’t acknowledge and embrace this reality, you won’t make it in a life group.

-When you encounter difficulty, share, practice hospitality, and be present with one another.

-A commitment to community is a fight for unity.

-We are prone to division and if we don’t proactively fight against it it will take us out.

-If you want to change your life group, draw a circle around yourself and fix everything inside the circle.

-As christians, we don’t judge obedience by the outcome. We strive to be faithful no matter the results.

-Our greatest disappointments come from unspoken or unmet expectations. Share and discuss your expectations with one another.

-We don’t want you to check a bunch of boxes as it relates to being in a life group; we want you to follow Jesus and become more like Him, and one of the best ways we know how to do that is to encourage you to do life with other people in a life group.

MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

-Suggested Scripture study: Romans 12:9-18; Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 22:37-39; John 13:35; Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 Peter 5:8

-Sermon: Biblical

-Sermon series: Conflicted

Biblical Mar 13, 2022

Show notes

Where do you find community: work, fitness, sports, kids activities, church…where is it for you? What characteristics mark that group of people? As we continue our series, Life Together, Jon Green teaches through 2 Timothy 3:14-17, teaching our second building block of community: biblical.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

-All Scripture is God-breathed.

-Theology simply means “what you believe about God”.

-Does everyone in your life group elevate Scripture in the same way?

-Every time you read Scripture, ask God, “What do you want me to learn today?”

-Observation: What do I see?

-Interpretation: What does it mean?

-Application: How does it work? What do I do?

-All Scripture is useful.

-Are you teaching each other using Scripture?

-Rebuking: calling or pointing out sin based on Scripture. Correcting: giving a solution based on Scripture.

-Training in righteousness can look like processing decisions based on Scripture (“Hey group, I’m thinking about _____, what do you guys think God and Scripture would have me do?”) vs. reporting decisions after the fact (“Hey guys, FYI, last week I did _____.”)

-You can get well-intentioned yet horrific advice. If advice doesn’t align with Scripture, it’s bad advice.

-In general, the more you want something the less you should trust yourself.

-All Scripture prepares us.

-If you think your knowledge of Scripture is for you, you have missed the point. The goal it to take what you learn and build up other people around you.

-You will be a better disciple of Jesus if the people around you are reading their Bibles.

-It will take time and effort to learn the Bible better, and that is OK. Start where you are today, and commit to growing 24-hours at a time.

-When people in your group give counsel ask them to back it up with Scripture.

-If you want to grow in your consistency of reading the Bible, you need three things: a time, a place, and a plan.

MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

-Suggested Scripture study: 2 Timothy 3:14-17; Proverbs 11:14

-Sermon: Authentic Community

-Resource: Bible Reading Plan (www.biblereadingplan.org)

Authentic Community Mar 06, 2022

Show notes

Have you ever collected or owned something that you thought was valuable, only to later realize it was inauthentic and fake? As we start our new series, Life Together, Scott Kedersha teaches our first building block of community: authentic.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

-The bigger we become as a church, the smaller we must become so that everyone can be known and cared for. We do this through life groups.

-To be authentic means to be real, genuine. To be who you say you are.

-John repeats the idea that “Jesus is the light” all throughout his teaching. Without Jesus, we won’t see things on this earth clearly. He is the light we need to see things as they really are.

-Authenticity starts by addressing our sin.

-God hates when we minimize our sin.

-Authenticity is necessary for fellowship.

-These three words & questions are a great way to build authenticity in your life group: 1) Input - How are you feeding your soul? 2) Output - How are you feeding others? 3) Confession - How have you fed your flesh?

-Going to life group and not confessing your sin and not being authentic is a terrible hobby and use of time.

-Authenticity is necessary for forgiveness.

-Is there a part of your life that you don’t want other people to see? Bring it into the light!

-How to confess: Confess early. Confess at the thought level. Confess at the temptation level before it even becomes sin.

-How to confess: Confess often. Confess everything you don’t want others to know.

-How to confess: Confess in detail. Share 100%, not 98%.

-The 30-seconds after someone confesses are extremely important. Your response to their confession will dictate whether they share more or they hide. Thank them, listen to them, ask them questions, pray for them.

-What are you keeping from others? What are you hiding? What are you afraid to share?

-The goal is not to be the most authentic person in the room. The goal is to become more like Jesus.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

-Scripture to study: 1 John 1:5-10; John 8:12, 9:5, 12:46; Proverbs 29:25; Romans 8:1; James 5:16; Proverbs 28:13

-Sermon: Authentic (sermon series: Fresh Start)

Indulgence Feb 27, 2022

Show notes

What do you want right now? In this moment as you read this, if you could have anything in the world, what do you want? As we finish our sermon series, 7 Deadly Sins of Suburbia, JP teaches about indulgence by studying 1 John 2:15-17.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

-What do you turn to when you are stressed?

-What you want shows who you love.

-We love stuff and use people to get more stuff. This couldn’t be further from what the Bible teaches.

-A biblical worldview teaches us to use stuff to love people.

-You can either love the world or you can love God. You can not have or love both.

-You will either be full from the things of God and able to resist the world, or, you will be full from the things of this world and will resist the things of God.

-Wickedness comes from wanting worldly things.

-Satan is the little g god of this world. His one desire is to drag you out of a right relationship with God, and he uses the things of this world.

-What marks you? If those closest to you got asked about what’s important to you, what would they say?

-“If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” -C.S. Lewis

-Walking in the will of God is living for another world.

-As you walk with God, your wants and desires will align with His.

-Parenting is teaching kids what to do with their wants as well as teaching them what to want. Christianity is no different.

-If you take sin it will take you.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

-Scripture to study: 1 John 2:15-17; Matthew 6:24; James 4:4; Philippians 3:18-20; Genesis 3:6; James 1:14-15; Psalm 37:4; Romans 12:2

-Sermon: Anger from Unforgiveness

Anger From Unforgiveness Feb 20, 2022

Show notes

1) God's anger toward you was satisfied

2) Forgiven people are forgiving people

3) Your forgiveness demonstrates God's forgiveness