10/27/24 Worship Service & Sermon: Jeroboam II and the Writing Prophets - 2 Kings 14:23-29

10/27/2024 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA

Worship Leader: Dave Stoltzfus
Sermon: Steve Estes
Scripture: 2 Kings 14:23-29
Title: Jeroboam II and the Writing Prophets

In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit. He was the one who restored the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, in accordance with the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher.

The LORD had seen how bitterly everyone in Israel, whether slave or free, was suffering; there was no one to help them. And since the LORD had not said he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash. As for the other events of Jeroboam's reign, all he did, and his military achievements, including how he recovered for Israel both Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Yaudi, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? Jeroboam rested with his fathers, the kings of Israel. And Zechariah his son succeeded him as king.

Notes:

1. Review and introduction
A. Israel splits in two
B. The southern kingdom
C. The northern kingdom

2. Opening description of Jeroboam II

3. Point 1: It's God's nature to bless undeserving people
A. How God blessed Jeroboam II
B. Why God blessed Jeroboam II

4. God's blessing does not necessarily mean God's approval
A. Examples from the minor prophets
B. Applications

5. God's judgments in one time/place are always to show mercy in another time/place
A. Examples
B. Where is this in today's passage?

#jeroboam #amos #blessings

10/20/24 Worship Service & Sermon: Rebellion and Obedience - 1 Samuel 15

10/20/2024 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA

Worship Leader: Matt Carter
Sermon: Andrew Hageman
Scripture: 1 Samuel 15
Title: Rebellion and Obedience

Notes:

1. Overt Rebellion: Rebellion against God warrants destruction
A. The cruelty and evil practices of the Amalekites
B. God's justice against the Amalekites
C. What does this mean for us?

2. Covert Rebellion: The heart of covert rebellion is self-deception
A. Covert rebellion begins with self-justification
B. Covert rebellion often includes blame shifting
C. Covert rebellion results in consequences

3. True Obedience: A relationship with God requires the true obedience which only Christ possesses
A. God requires obedience, not sacrifices
B. Our hope in Jesus Christ, the obedient King

#saul #amalekites #rebellion #obedience

10/13/24 Worship Service & Sermon: Spiritual Flourishing - Titus 1:1-11

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10/13/2024 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA

Worship Leader: Steve Boyer
Sermon: Dave Royes
Scripture: Titus 1:1-11
Title: Spiritual Flourishing

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who lever lies, promised before the ages began, and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our savior;

To Titus, my true child in a common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you--if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.

Notes:

1. Elders are a Source of Discipleship

2. Elders are a Display of the Spirit
A. Character
B. Conviction
C. Competency

3. Elders are for Soundness of Doctrine

#paul #titus #elders

10/6/24 Worship Service & Sermon: Risky Request - Philemon 1

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10/6/2024 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA

Worship Leader: Mark Estes
Speaker: David Foglebach
Scripture: Philemon 1
Title: Risky Request

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker--also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier--and to the church that meets in your home:

Grace and peach to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord's people.

Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul--an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus--that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. I am sending him--who is my very heart--back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want you to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever--no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord. So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back--not to mention that you owe me your very self. I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you'll do even more than I ask. And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Notes:

1. The request
A. Reconcile with a runaway slave
B. The modern equivalent

2. The risks
A. Paul's friendship with Philemon
B. Philemon's reputation
C. Onesimus' life

3. Risking reconciliation

#philemonmorris #onesimus #Paul

9/29/2024 Worship Service & Sermon: The Reigns of Jehoahaz and Jehoash - 2 Kings 13

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9/29/2024 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA

Worship Leader: Luke Stoltzfus
Sermon: Steve Estes
Scripture: 2 Kings 13
Title: The Reigns of Jehoahaz and Jehoash

Notes:

1. Jehoahaz
A. "He did evil in the eyes of the LORD..."
B. Result of this evil
C. "Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD's favor"
D. How God did it
E. Israel's response

2. Jehoash
A. Different king, same summary
B. A significant episode
C. A dead man lives again

3. Conclusion

#jehoahaz #jehoash #israel #elisha

9/22/24 Worship Service & Sermon: Jehu Destroys Ahab’s House & Baal Worship - 2 Kings 10

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9/22/2024 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA

Worship Leader: Dave Dailey
Sermon: Steve Estes
Scripture: 2 Kings 10
Title: Jehu Destroys Ahab's House and Baal Worship

Notes:

1. Destroying Ahab's house
A. Jehu's challenge
B. Heads roll in Samaria
C. Jehu seeks support of citizens and soldiers in Jezreel
D. Jehu slaughters Ahab's house in Jezreel

2. Meeting relatives of Judah's recently departed king
A. Remember Ahaziah?
B. The deadly meeting on the road to Samaria

3. Meeting a most unusual man
A. Jehonadab the Recabite
B. Jehonadab joins Jehu
C. The principle of this part of the passage

4. Killing Baal worship
A. A compulsory command
B. Death and destruction

5. What are we to think of this chapter?
A. Christian, don't be naive about politics
B. God uses scary unbelievers to achieve His holy purposes
C. God often rewards unbelievers (in this life) for the good they do
D. It won't do to abandon the sins we don't like, but cling to the sins we do like

#jehu #ahab #baal

9/15/24 Worship Service & Sermon: The Heights of His Holiness - Leviticus 14:33-56

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9/15/2024 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA

Worship Leader: Tyler Estes
Sermon: David Royes
Scripture: Leviticus 14:33-56
Title: The Heights of His Holiness

Notes:

1. The Holiness of God in His Sovereignty
A. God's promises are sure
B. God's providence is real

2. The Holiness of God in His Separation
A. Uncleanness is contagious
B. Uncleanness is deep-seated
C. Uncleanness is persistent
D. Uncleanness renders something fit for destruction

3. The Holiness of God in His Son
A. Provision for the cleansing of uncleanness
B. A High Priest who is also a carpenter

4. Applications
A. Do not despair over the shame you feel today
B. There is great purpose in seemingly insignificant obedience to God

#holiness #uncleanness #God

9/8/2024 Worship Service and Sermon: Jehu Kills Joram, Ahaziah, and Jezebel - 2 Kings 9

9/8/2024 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA

Worship Leader: Steve Boyer
Sermon: Steve Estes
Scripture: 2 Kings 9
Title: Jehu Kills Joram, Ahaziah, and Jezebel

Notes:

1. Previously on The Northern Kingdom...
A. Elijah flees
B. Jehovah replies
C. God's plan to topple Baal in Israel

2. Jehu anointed as king
A. Elisha sends a young prophet on a mission
B. Reaction of Jehu's lieutenants

3. Jehu kills two Baal-worshiping kings
A. Killing Joram of Israel
B. Killing Ahaziah of Judah

4. Killing Jezebel
A. Jezebel prepares to die in style
B. Jehu has Jezebel thrown out the window
C. Jehu feasts while Jezebel is feasted on

5. Lessons
A. Rebellion against God is fanned into flame by those we associate with
B. Rebels vs. God are gradually storing up wrath for themselves
C. God avenges His suffering people
D. Is God's wrath so gory and terrible?

#jehu #joram #ahaziah #jezebel

9/1/2024 Worship Service & Sermon: Joram’s Last Chance for Grace - 2 Kings 8:1-6

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9/1/2024 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA

Worship Leader: Matt Carter
Sermon: Steve Estes
Scripture: 2 Kings 8:1-6
Title: Joram's Last Chance for Grace

Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, "Go away with your family and stay for a while wherever you can, because the LORD has decreed a famine in the land that will last seven years." The woman proceeded to do as the man of God said. She and her family went away and stayed in the land of the Philistines seven years. At the end of the seven years she came back from the land of the Philistines and went to the king to beg for her house and land. The king was talking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, and had said, "Tell me about all the great things Elisha has done." Just as Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life came to beg the king for her house and land. Gehazi said, "This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life." The king asked the woman about it, and she told him. Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, "Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now."

Notes:

1. Background to today's text (2 Kings 4 for reference)

2. King Joram had already seen God's divine kindness through Elisha
A. Aramean ambushes foiled
B. Aramean army delivered into Joram's hands
C. Northern kingdom's capital relieved of starvation

3. King Joram asks to hear more about Elisha's great works
A. The widow in debt
B. Death in the stew
C. Feeding one hundred
D. A borrowed ax
E. The Shunammite woman's son

4. Lessons
A. See how God cares for His own people
B. See how important our response to accounts of God's mercies are

Background for next week's sermon

2 Kings 8:7-14 NIV - Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad
2 Kings 8:25-29 NIV - Ahaziah King of Judah

#Joram #Shunammite #Gehazi

8/25/24 Worship Service & Sermon: Who, then, Is This? - Mark 4:35-41

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8/25/2024 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA

Worship Leader: Randy Hepler
Speaker: Wendell Stoltzfus
Scripture: Mark 4:35-41
Title: Who, then, Is This?

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

Notes:

1. The fisherman and the sea
A. Simon Peter
B. Sea of Galilee

2. Jesus in the boat
A. He had been teaching all day
B. He still had a lesson to teach that night

3. The storm
A. More than experienced fishermen could handle
B. Eventually, the disciples ask Jesus to help
C. Jesus rebukes the storm, then rebukes His disciples

4. The disciples' reaction
A. "Who then is this?"
B. These sinful men realize they're in the presence of the Holy One
C. Jesus' lesson for His disciples

5. The storms we encounter
A. What makes us afraid?
B. "Why are you so afraid?"