Saturday, June 27, 2020

VIDEO: 6-28-20 Sermon "RADICAL FAITH: Faith perfects us”

As we worship together "from house to house," thank God for the opportunity to lift up His name. Consider the privilege we have. We can come before the King of the universe with all our flaws and frailties. We are allowed in the throne room of the King. We are allowed in His presence.

As you gather together this Sunday in our own home, we invite you to sing along with the worship videos. We encourage you to take the Lord’s Supper. In this way, we can take communion together even though we are apart. Pray for one another. Watch my message about Radical Faith. Accept the challenge to allow faith to perfect us. Respond to the invitation. Enjoy the bonus video.

WORSHIP

COMMUNION

Read John 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.“. Here is a possible communion prayer to say before you take the bread and the juice, "Father, as Christ is the vine from which the blood flowed that gives me life, I remain in Him. As I drink the cup and eat the bread, I am sustained by the nourishment that is mine through the sacrifice of His body. As I remember His death until He returns, I remember that apart from Him I can do nothing. Bear fruit in my life. In Jesus' name, amen."

Take the Lord's Supper.

PRAYER

Pray for us as a body. As we begin to connect again, may our God grant us strength, courage, compassion, devotion, vision, and understanding.

MESSAGE

“And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed 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, living in caves and in holes in the ground.

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:32-40‬ ‭NIV‬‬

CHALLENGE

What promises of God have not been realized in your life to this point? Write down 3 promises of God that have not been fulfilled yet? How can you support a fellow Christian in remaining faithful? Who will you support this week? Support that person in prayer and in action.

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word at Kenwood Church. You may want to follow Jesus. You may want to proclaim your faith. You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things). Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, I encourage you to speak with me via phone (248-476-8222) or an email (toddlackie@kenwoodchurch.org). I would be honored to speak with you about what God is doing in your life and try to connect you with a community of faith in your area.

Bonus Video

RADICAL FAITH: Faith perfects us - Hebrews 11:32-40 Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on June 28, 2020)

RADICAL FAITH: Faith perfects us (Hebrews 11:32-40) - June 28, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Radical Faith perfects us. Faith may seem like a personal choice, but it is a communal choice. We are all in this together.

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:32-40‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I. FAITH PERSEVERES

“To live by faith is to live joyfully, to live with assurance, untroubled by doubts and with complete confidence in all we have to do and suffer at each moment by the will of God. We must realize that it is in order to stimulate and sustain this faith that God allows the soul to be buffeted and swept away by the raging torrent of so much distress, so many troubles, so much embarrassment and weakness, and so many setbacks. For it is essential to have faith to find God behind all this.” - Jean-Pierre de Caussade, 1675-1751, in Discipleship Journal, issue 40

A. Faith continues through all adversity.

B. Faith continues.

II. FAITH PERSEVERES WITHOUT RECEIVING WHAT HAD BEEN PROMISED

A man named Smith was sitting on his roof during a flood, and the water was up to his feet. Before long a fellow in a canoe paddled past and shouted, “Can I give you a lift to higher ground?” “No, thanks,” said Smith. “I have faith in the Lord and he will save me.”

Soon the water rose to Smith’s waist. At this point a motorboat pulled up and someone called out, “Can I give you a lift to higher ground?” “No, thanks. I have faith in the Lord and he will save me.” Later a helicopter flew by, and Smith was now standing on the roof with water up to his neck. “Grab the rope,” yelled the pilot. “I’ll pull you up.” “No, thanks,” said Smith. “I have faith in the Lord and he will save me.”

But after hours of treading water, poor, exhausted Smith drowned and went to his reward. As he arrived at the Pearly Gates, Smith met his maker and complained about this turn of events. “Tell me, Lord,” he said, “I had such faith in you to save me and you let me down. What happened?” To which the Lord replied, “What do you want from me? I sent you two boats and a helicopter!”

A. Faith as a means to achieve is not faith.

B. Faith as a means to receive is not faith.

C. Faith as a means to self-fulfillment is not faith.

III. FAITH PERFECTS

A. We are not “plan B;” we are the fulfillment of the plan.

B. We are perfected together.

C. Faith is always communal.

“He is the author and perfecter of our faith.”

“On April 30, 1976 Evelyn Mooers attached a rappelling rope to a drain pipe grating on the roof of the Mark Twain South County Bank. Mooers, an experienced climber, had once scaled 14,410-foot Mt. Rainier in Washington state. The rappelling exercise from the bank building would have been routine but for one miscalculation. The drain pipe grating wasn’t anchored.

Numerous bank officials and their friends watched as Mooers plummeted to her death. Her faith in the grating was fatally misplaced.” - Today in the Word, May, 1990, MBI, p. 16

Faith in Jesus is our only hope.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

‭‭John‬ ‭3:16-17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.””

‭‭Acts‬ ‭4:12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭2:5-6‬a ‭NIV‬‬

CHALLENGE

Saturday, June 20, 2020

VIDEO: 6-21-20 Sermon "RADICAL FAITH: Faith changes our reality"

As we worship together "from house to house," we proclaim the glory of God whether we are in our building in our cars in the church parking lot or inside our homes. We give honor to our King. We worship Him as the Lord of all.

As you gather together this Sunday in our own home, we invite you to sing along with the worship videos. We encourage you to take the Lord’s Supper. In this way, we can take communion together even though we are apart. Pray for one another. Watch my message about Radical Faith. Accept the challenge to allow faith to change your reality. Respond to the invitation. Enjoy the bonus video.

WORSHIP

COMMUNION

Read Acts 2:42 NIV, "They devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Here is a possible communion prayer to say before you take the bread and the juice, "Father, might we be devoted to your Word, one another, communion, and prayer like the early church. Might we demonstrate that devotion by our focus and dedication as we take the Lord's supper. Strengthen our devotion. In Jesus' name, amen."

Take the Lord's Supper.

PRAYER

Pray for one another. As the early church prayed, we see many examples in the New Testament of the believers praying for one another. Pray for devotion, health, holiness, courage, perseverance, joy, peace, and fervor. Pray for the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Pray for revival.

MESSAGE

“By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies,

was not killed with those who were disobedient.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

CHALLENGE

Write down in a column 4 ways you have changed because of your faith. Write down 4 things that still need to change because of your faith in another column. Write down the difference between the 2 columns in the space between the columns. Determine actions that will move the second column into the first. Pray for the active faith that demonstrates that we are changed.

INVITATION

Bonus Video

RADICAL FAITH: Faith changes our reality - Hebrews 11:31 Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on June 21, 2020)

RADICAL FAITH: Faith changes our reality (Hebrews 11:31) - June 21, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Radical Faith changes our reality. Faith changes our destiny. Faith changes us.

“By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I. FAITH CHANGES US

“And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?”

‭‭James‬ ‭2:23-25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A. Rahab, the prostitute, was considered “righteous.”

1. Righteousness is displayed by what we do - acts of faith

2. Righteous in spite of what we do - acts of unrighteousness

B. Her reality changed.

II. FAITH CHANGES WHAT WE DO

“I would recommend you either believe God up to the hilt, or else not to believe at all. Believe this book of God, every letter of it, or else reject it. There is no logical standing place between the two. Be satisfied with nothing less than a faith that swims in the deeps of divine revelation; a faith that paddles about the edge of the water is poor faith at best. It is little better than a dry-land faith, and is not good for much.” - C. H. Spurgeon

Faith not only changes who we are but also what we do.

A. Rahab did what was necessary.

1. Life choices

2. A better way

B. Rahab did what was faithful.

1. She did that which was against her nature.

2. She saved her family.

III. FAITH SAVES US

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:8-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A. We are saved by faith.

B. We are saved by faith through grace.

C. We are God’s handiwork.

1. Created in Christ Jesus to do good works.

2. God prepared in advance for us to do.

CHALLENGE

Saturday, June 13, 2020

VIDEO: 6-14-20 Sermon "RADICAL FAITH: Faith executes God's plan"

As we worship together "from house to house," we are worshiping in different places. Some are meeting in the parking lot of our church and worshiping together. Some are in their homes worshiping alone or with family. Believers are worshiping all over this planet. The point is that we are worshiping. The glory goes to God whether we are in one place or many. The important thing is that we worship the King.

As you gather together this Sunday in our own home, we invite you to sing along with the worship videos. We encourage you to take the Lord’s Supper. In this way, we can take communion together even though we are apart. Pray for one another. Watch my message about Radical Faith. Accept the challenge to execute God's plan. Respond to the invitation. Enjoy the bonus video.

WORSHIP

COMMUNION

Read Psalm 27:14 NIV, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Here is a possible communion prayer to say before you take the bread and the juice, "Father, we wait for this moment each week to remember your body and blood that were given for us. We wait before you as we remember the grace you have extended to us and that we must extend to others. We wait for that day as we proclaim your death until you return. Thank you for waiting for me until I found my way home. In Jesus' name, amen."

Take the Lord's Supper.

PRAYER

Pray for one another. As Covid-19 moves from the front page of our minds, I am reminded of all of the other events that impact our lives. Pray for health, wisdom, comfort, and direction. Pray for us as we seek God in the midst of Covid-19 and the rest of life. Pray for one another.

MESSAGE

“By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:29-30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

CHALLENGE

Write down 2 times when you stopped living by faith after beginning in faith? What was the result of your decision to stop being “faithful?” What do you need to faithfully complete today and into the future?

INVITATION

Bonus Video

RADICAL FAITH: Faith executes God's plan - Hebrews 11:29-30 Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on June 14, 2020)

RADICAL FAITH: Faith executes God’s plan (Hebrews 11:29-30) - June 14, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Radical Faith executes God’s plan. Faith is more than believing the plan will work. Faith actually follows through with the plan. Faith trusts and obeys.

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:29-30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I. FAITH WALKS TOWARD A SEA WITH NO BRIDGE

There was a tightrope walker, who did incredible aerial feats. All over Paris, he would do tightrope acts at tremendously scary heights. Then he had succeeding acts; he would do it blindfolded, then he would go across the tightrope, blindfolded, pushing a wheelbarrow.

An American promoter read about this in the papers and wrote a letter to the tightrope walker, saying, "Tightrope, I don't believe you can do it, but I'm willing to make you an offer. For a very substantial sum of money, besides all your transportation fees, I would like to challenge you to do your act over Niagara Falls."

Now, Tightrope wrote back, "Sir, although I've never been to America and seen the Falls, I'd love to come."

Well, after a lot of promotion and setting the whole thing up, many people came to see the event. Tightrope was to start on the Canadian side and come to the American side. Drums roll, and he comes across the rope which is suspended over the treacherous part of the falls; blindfolded!! And he makes it across easily. The crowds go wild, and he comes to the promoter and says, "Well, Mr. Promoter, now do you believe I can do it?"

"Well of course I do. I mean, I just saw you do it."

"No," said Tightrope, "do you really believe I can do it?"

"Well of course I do, you just did it."

"No, no, no," said Tightrope, "do you believe I can do it?"

"Yes," said Mr. Promoter, "I believe you can do it."

"Good," said Tightrope, "then you get in the wheelbarrow."

This is a nice story …makes you ask, how often do we say that we believe Christ can do it, but refuse to get in the wheelbarrow?

A. Faith does the unthinkable out of faith.

1. Israel knew God would provide.

2. God parted the sea.

B. Faith makes all the difference.

1. Egypt tried walking on “dry ground”

2. Egypt drowned because actions are not the same as faith.

3. The ground was dry because of faith, not moisture content.

II. FAITH ATTACKS A CITY WITH NO WEAPONS

“Jordan, a three year old boy from Rhode Island went down to the seacoast to fly a kite. Never having flown a kite before, Jordan had obvious doubts. His father assured him that all was well, and the kite would go up as planned. As Jordan unravelled the string, and watched the kite go up, he was heard to say, "I knew it would fly, daddy. You said it would." Simple statement, profound implications.” - Source unknown

A. Faith understands a marching band can be an army in the hands of God.

1. Horns

2. Pitchers

3. Shouting

4. Marching

B. The real world responds to acts of faith

1. The wall fell

2. Foolish acts of faith impact a world built on “absolute truths.”

III. FAITH EXECUTES GOD’S “FOOLISH” PLAN

“My husband, Ron, once taught a class of mentally impaired teenagers. Looking at his students' capabilities rather than their limitations, Ron got them to play chess, restore furniture and repair electrical appliances. Most important, he taught them to believe in themselves. Young Bobby soon proved how well he had learned that last lesson. One day he brought in a broken toaster to repair. He carried the toaster tucked under one arm, and a half-loaf of bread under the other.” - Edna Butterfield

A. Execution, not hypothetical faith.

B. Faithful execution

There is a result.

“Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

CHALLENGE

Saturday, June 6, 2020

VIDEO: 6-7-20 Sermon "RADICAL FAITH: Faith chooses God's plan"

As we worship together "from house to house," may we remember our need for a savior. May we see the glory of God in the atoning sacrifice of his son. May we choose the live according to his plan.

As we gather together this Sunday in our own homes, we invite you to sing along with the worship videos. We encourage you to take the Lord’s Supper in your home at 10:00am. In this way, we can take communion together even though we are apart. Pray for our community. Watch my message about Radical Faith. Accept the challenge to choose God's plan. Respond to the invitation. Enjoy the bonus video.

WORSHIP

COMMUNION

Read Romans 5:8, "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Here is a possible communion prayer to say before you take the bread and the juice, "Father, you showed your love for us even before we started loving you. You cherished us as your children before we acknowledged you as our Father. You offered your son for those who may have never accepted your free gift. We are grateful for your grace and mercy. Help us to live as thankful recipients of eternal life. In Jesus' name, amen."

Take the Lord's Supper.

PRAYER

Pray for our witness to a world that is lost and dying. Pray for our unity in the Spirit that demonstrates that we are his disciples. Pray for people to find hope in Jesus. Pray for change in our world as we are changed and made more like God's son, Jesus.

MESSAGE

“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:24-28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

CHALLENGE

Write down 3 things God has asked you to do that seemed foolish to those around you. How did you respond to those 3 situations. Write down what would have been faithful responses? What is God asking you to do today? Write that down and pray for the courage to follow in faith.

INVITATION

Bonus Video

RADICAL FAITH: Faith chooses God's plan - Hebrews 11:24-28 Sermon Outline (a blog post for a video sermon for Kenwood Church in Livonia, MI, on June 7, 2020)

RADICAL FAITH: Faith chooses God’s plan (Hebrews 11:24-28) - June 7, 2020

INTRODUCTION

Radical Faith chooses God’s plan over everything else.

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:24-28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I. FAITH CHOOSES GOD OVER PERSONAL SECURITY

“Let it never be forgotten that glamour is not greatness; applause is not fame; prominence is not eminence. The man of the hour is not apt to be the man of the ages. A stone may sparkle, but that does not make it a diamond; people may have money, but that does not make them a success.

It is what the unimportant people do that really counts and determines the course of history. The greatest forces in the universe are never spectacular. Summer showers are more effective than hurricanes, but they get no publicity. The world would soon die but for the fidelity, loyalty, and consecration of those whose names are unhonored and unsung.” - James R. Sizoo from Bits & Pieces, June 22, 1995, p. 11.

A. Moses chose God’s family versus Pharaoh’s family

B. Moses chose mistreatment versus pleasure

1. Solidarity with God’s people

2. Turned his back on the “fleeting pleasures of sin”

C. Moses chose disgrace over the treasures of Egypt

1. “For the sake of Christ”

2. “He was looking ahead to his reward”

II. FAITH TRUSTS AN INVISIBLE GOD OVER A VISIBLE RULER

Obedience and Disobedience

“Important lessons are given by this alternation of the two ideas of faith and unbelief, obedience and disobedience. Disobedience is the root of unbelief. Unbelief is the mother of further disobedience. Faith is voluntary submission within a person's own power.

If faith is not exercised, the true cause lies deeper than all intellectual reasons. It lies in the moral aversion of human will and in the pride of independence, which says, "who is Lord over us? Why should we have to depend on Jesus Christ?"

As faith is obedience and submission, so faith breeds obedience, but unbelief leads on to higher-handed rebellion. With dreadful reciprocity of influence, the less one trusts, the more he disobeys; the more he disobeys, the less he trusts.” - Alexander Maclaren

A. Moses left Egypt

1. He did what God commanded

2. He did not give in to fear of the world’s most powerful ruler

B. Moses persevered

1. He saw the difficulty

2. He saw the invisible God

III. FAITH FOLLOWS GOD’S PLAN OVER HUMAN REASON

The story is told of a group of people in Kansas who after a long drought came together to pray for rain. As they met, they discovered only one young gal had brought an umbrella with her. - Source unknown

Faith carries an umbrella.

A. Moses acted in faith

1. Ate a meal and painted a doorway

2. Did what God required

B. Moses saved his people from death

1. Followed God’s plan rather than “everyday wisdom”

2. Did what others thought was foolishness

3. Led by faith

CHALLENGE