All Nations Presbyterian Church: Afternoon Sermon Series

Multiple Bible Texts - What are the Sacraments?

Last Sunday afternoon, we finished our sermon series considering our church’s core beliefs by thinking about the sacraments together. We saw that the sacraments are signs and seals of the gospel, pointing us to Jesus Christ and assuring us of God’s promises. In particular, baptism points us to Jesus’ work cleansing our hearts from sin and pouring out the Holy Spirit on God’s people. The Lord’s Supper points us to Jesus’ body and blood given for our forgiveness. Yet, the sacraments do not work “automatically.” God’s gospel promises must be received and embraced by repentance and faith. This week, take some time to thank God for the wonderful gift of the sacraments. Reflect on your baptism and give thanks to God for the promises it symbolizes and seals. Prepare your hearts prayerfully for the next time we take the Lord’s Supper together, as we both remember Christ’s death and look forward to His return.
 

1 Peter 5:1-5 - What Does it Mean to be Presbyterian?

Last Sunday afternoon, we continued our brief series on the key beliefs of our church by thinking about what it means to be Presbyterian from 1 Peter 5:1-5. In particular, we saw that a Presbyterian church is a church led by elders. Elders are spiritually mature men who point us to Jesus Christ, but elders are still just sinners saved by God’s grace. The role of our elders is to shepherd the flock at All Nations out of love for Christ and His people. God calls us to submit to the elders He has given us, praying for them and giving due attention to their guidance and discipline as they teach us from God’s Word. In all of this, God also gives us a great encouragement: after the suffering and struggle of life right now, an eternal crown of glory is coming for all God’s people. This week, take some time to pray for the elders of All Nations. Pray that our elders would lead us with wisdom and shepherd the flock faithfully. Pray that God would raise up more elders at All Nations. Pray that God would help all of us—elders and members alike—to press on in the Christian life as we wait for the eternal glory that is coming.

1 Corinthians 12 - What Does it Mean to be Part of a Church?

Last Sunday afternoon, we continued our brief series on some of our core commitments as a church by hearing from 1 Corinthians 12 together. This passage reminds us that the church is made up of many different members with many different gifts, but together we form the one body of Jesus Christ. Although we are all different, God has saved us through the same Savior Jesus, and God has filled us with the same Holy Spirit. This means that we should not divide over silly things; instead, we should each use our unique gifts to serve and encourage one another, as we all seek to serve Jesus together. This week, take some time to thank God for making you a part of the body of Christ at All Nations. Thank God for ways that you see other people serving Christ’s body and prayerfully consider how you can use the unique gifts God has given you to serve others at All Nations.

Ephesians 6:10-20 - How Do We Grow Amid a Spiritual Fight?

Last Sunday afternoon, we continued our short series thinking about our church’s membership questions by hearing from Ephesians 6:10-20 together. In this passage, Paul reminds us that we are in a spiritual war. We are not fighting against other human beings; we are fighting against Satan himself. How can we stand firm against such a strong foe? We can be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might, knowing that Jesus Christ has already defeated Satan at the cross. Even more, Jesus has given us armor for the battle. We especially looked at the armor of God under three big headings: salvation, Scripture, and supplication. As we understand the gift of our salvation more, as we read and meditate on the Scriptures, and as we pray to God for help, God helps us to stand firm and to grow as Christians. This week, take some time to thank God for the gift of our salvation, to consider how you can know and treasure God’s Word even more, and to pray for other Christians as they too seek to follow after Jesus faithfully.

Ephesians 2:1-10 - What is a Christian?

Last Sunday afternoon, we continued our series on our church’s core beliefs by considering what a Christian is from Ephesians 2. In particular, we saw that all of us were spiritually dead sinners who followed the sinful desires of our heart and the lies of Satan instead of following God our Maker. As sinners, we all deserved God’s judgment. But God has saved us by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone! We could never do anything to make ourselves alive, but God has done it all in and through Jesus Christ. When we really begin to see the wonder of God’s grace, it should make us long to serve God with new enthusiasm—not to earn His love but because of how much He already loves us in Jesus Christ. This week, take some time to re-read Ephesians 2:1-10. As you do, thank God for His amazing grace and pray for His help to increasingly walk in the good works He has prepared for us.

2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 - The Bible

Sunday afternoon we started a new sermon series exploring some of our key beliefs as a church by hearing about the Bible together from 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5. In particular, we saw that the Bible is God’s Word, completely true in all that it says. The Holy Spirit uses God’s Word to save us by showing us Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit also uses God’s Word to sanctify us by teaching us God’s will. We also saw the link between the Bible and preaching: because the Bible is God’s Word, we are to preach and to hear the Bible Sunday by Sunday. This week, take some time to consider your own Bible reading habits. Do you have a regular habit of reading the Bible by yourself, with your family, or with other Christians? What small steps can you take this week to love and to read God’s Word a little more?

Galatians 1:1-9 - Don't Chase a Different Gospel

On Sunday afternoon, we looked at the opening verses of Galatians. We saw that Paul wanted his readers to be clear on the gospel, the most important news, the news that you need to believe in order to be saved. The gospel is all about Jesus, that He has saved us from sin by his death and resurrection. It is all about what Jesus has done for us, not what we do. This is the opposite of how our lives usually work. We never deserve to be saved and loved by God. We can never been good enough, religious enough, or from the right family. It is all Jesus, not us. This means that we should be often joyful and thankful rather than burdened by duty and effort. We should serve God and others as a response to Jesus, not because it is needed for God to love us. Take some time to thank God for Jesus, and consider why you serve Him.

Leviticus 26:1-46 - Blessing or Curse

Last Sunday afternoon, we finished our series in Leviticus by hearing from Leviticus 26 together. This is a confronting chapter which shows us both God’s blessing for obedience and God’s curse for disobedience. We saw that while God’s blessing is unspeakably glorious, God’s curse is unspeakably terrible. Ultimately, all of us deserve God’s curse for our sins. Yet the wonder of the gospel is that Jesus perfectly obeyed God’s law to earn God’s blessing for us, and Jesus also suffered the curse that we deserved for our disobedience. Surely Jesus is the perfect Savior that we so desperately need! How should we respond? By confessing our sins to God and by putting our faith in Jesus Christ. This week, take some time to read back through Leviticus 26. As you read, thank God that Jesus willing took God’s curse for us and that He brings us God’s blessing. Then, consider if there are patterns of disobedience or sin in your life that God is calling you to repent of and address by the power of His Holy Spirit.

Leviticus 23:1-44 - The Calendar

Last Sunday afternoon, we heard from Leviticus 23 together. This passage tells us about the different feasts on Israel’s calendar. We saw the major themes tying these feasts together were remembering God’s work, resting from our work, and worshipping God together. As Christians today, we no longer celebrate all these ancient feasts, but we do still celebrate the Christian Sabbath every single Sunday. As Christians, our weekly Sabbath reminds us of God’s greatest work of all—the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The Sabbath also gives us a day to enjoy the blessing of rest from our work and to assemble with God’s people to worship God together. In the process, the Sabbath makes us long for the even better Sabbath rest that is coming in a new heavens and a new earth. This week, take some time to thank God for the gift of a day of rest and worship every week and prayerfully consider how you can make the most of this day of blessing that God has given us.

Leviticus 19:1-37 - Holiness

Last Sunday afternoon, we heard from Leviticus 19 together. This chapter especially calls God’s people to be holy. We saw that holiness means obeying God’s commands and applying those commands to the specific circumstances of our lives. When we strive to love God completely and love our neighbor as ourselves, then we will inevitably live and act differently to the world around us. Ultimately, however, the only way that we can grow in holiness is because the holy God has saved us in Jesus Christ and poured out His Holy Spirit into our hearts. This week, re-read Leviticus 19. Identify one command or principle from the chapter that you especially need to work on in your life, pray for the help of the Holy Spirit, and then take specific steps to grow to grow in holiness in that area.