Pastor Armstrong's sermon is based on John 4:5-42.

“A Man for all people,” (John 4:5-42)

I.           Humanity is _____________________, we group ourselves based on commonalities of geography, language, appearance, social status, political views, etc.

II.    Jesus doesn’t celebrate ____________________.  He ignores it (vv.7, 10, 20-23). 

III.   Jesus identifies ________________ as common to all people (vv.16-18; Proverbs 14:34; Romans 3:22b, 23). 

IV.   Saving faith identifies ________________ as common to all people (v.42; 1:29; 20:31). 

Pastor Armstrong's sermon is based on Genesis 12:1-9 & John 3:1-17.

Does life begin at 75?  (Genesis 12:1-9; John 3:1-17)

I.   Your windshield versus your rear-view mirror. 

A.  How old was _____________ when God called him?

B.  How old was _____________ when God called him?

C.  How old was _____________ when God called him?

D.  Others.

II.   Jesus calls Nicodemus.   

A.  Nicodemus, the teacher of Israel, is in ___________________ (vv.1,3). 

B.  He thinks he knows (v.2), but he doesn’t (v.9).  Spiritually, he is not yet _____________ (v.3). 

C.  Although he is likely advanced in years (v.4), his conversation with Jesus marks the ________________________ of his life (John 7:50-51; 19:39-40).  

III.  “How can these things take place?” (v.9)   

A.  The new life in the Spirit (vv.7-8), given in ______________ (v.5), results from the _________________ of the Son of Man (vv.14-15).     

B.  Jesus, the true rabbi, interprets the Scriptures in light of _______________. 

1.   Earthly things (Moses and the bronze snake, v.14).

2.   Heavenly things (Son of Man lifted up, vv.14-15).

C.  Jesus interprets _________________ in light of Himself (John 14:6; cf. Galatians 2:20; Philippians 1:21; Ephesians 5:31-32; 1 Corinthians 12:27).   

1.   Do you see your life as _____________________ (v.3)? 

2.   In Christ, there is always more life _________________ you than  ______________ you (John 3:16; 10:10). 

Pastor Armstrong's sermon is based on Matthew 4:1-11.

“TEAM JESUS” (Matthew 4:1-11)

I.  _____________ failed.   

A.  “For as by the ___________________ disobedience the many were made sinners,” (Romans 5:19a). 

B.  “For as _________________ all die,” (1 Corinthians 15:22a).

 II.   ____________ failed.   

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols” (Hosea 11:1–2). 

A.  he was baptized (1 Corinthians 10:1-2), and then:

B.  he was tested in the wilderness and…

1.   he ___________________ God to provide (Deuteronomy 8:3);

2.   he _____________ the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:16); and

3.   he ________________ idols (Deuteronomy 6:13-15).  

III.   _____________ takes the field.

A.  He was baptized (Matthew 3:13-17), and then:

B.  He was tested in the wilderness and…

1.   He ___________________ God to provide (v.4);

2.   He ___________________ the Lord (v.7); and

3.   He _________________ the Lord only (v.10). 

IV.  Application.

A.  “…so by one man’s ___________________, the many will be made         righteous” (Romans 5:19b).

B.  “…so _________________ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22b).

C.  His _______________ is ours.

Pastor Armstrong's sermon is based on Matthew 17:1-9.

God unclothed and God fully-clothed( Matthew 17:1-9)

I.   Peter seems to _________________ the three men (v.4).

A.  Prophets are ________________; God’s Son is much more.

B.  The Father hands over all things ________________ (John 3:35; 5:22; Hebrews 3:5; et al.). 

II.  The Father dwells in _________________________ (1 Timothy 6:16; Exodus 33:20).

A.  The voice from the cloud is _______________________ (vv.5-6).

B.  Luther:  this is the “nude” God (Deus nudus), the ____________ voice from heaven (Exodus 20:18-19).  

III.  The Father will reveal Himself _______________________________ (John 1:18; 14:9; Colossians 1:15). 

A.  The voice of Jesus is ________________________ (v.7).  

B.  Luther:  Jesus is God “fully-clothed” (Deus revelatus).  It is the voice _______________. 

IV.  Application:

A.  Jesus stands alone (v.8).  We cannot ____________ Him with others.

B.  His voice is preeminent (v.5; John 5:39). 

C.  ___________ the Deus nudus!

D.  ________ God graciously comes to us says everything you need to know about who we are and who He is (v.9).

Pastor Armstrong's sermon is based on Matthew 5:21-37.

“The Myth of Righteous Anger” (Matthew 5:21-37)

I.   The Bible never speaks of ____________ anger as righteous (v.22; James 1:20). 

A.  Human emotions, including anger, are not inherently ______________.   26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26-27) 

B.  There is justification for anger, but there is no justification for                       ______________________________.             29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God   forgave you.   (Ephesians 4:29-32)

C.  Our anger is never praised; it is not a _______________________.  It is like  a toxic substance we cannot handle safely.

D.  The connection between anger and sin is so close that Christ and His      apostles virtually ____________ the two.  

II.   Anger is the _____________________ of God alone.

A.  His anger is righteous (Mark 3:5), yet He is _____________ to manifest it (Exodus 34:6). 

B.  The one who remains angry assumes the place of God.

III.  In Christ, God has _________________ His anger.

A.  This is why our anger is so repugnant (v.22).

B.  This is God’s _______________ for our anger (Ephesians 4:31-32).

C.  Reconciliation within ___________________ reflects God’s reconciliation with __________________.

Pastor Armstrong's sermon is based on Matthew 5:13-20.

Irreplaceable!  (Matthew 5:13-20)

I.   You are the salt of the earth 

A.  “You” is ____________.

B.  “You” is __________________. 

II.   You are the salt of the earth.

A.  Verses 13 and 14 are __________________ not __________________. 

B.  Jesus speaks not of possibility but of reality. 

C.  Paraphrasing Luther:  “We love whatever pleases us.  God’s love creates that which is pleasing to it.”

III.  You are the salt of the earth. 

A.  Jesus has a very high view of _________________.

B.  We are of such use to the world that we are ____________________  (“If the salt loses its flavor, how shall it [the world] be seasoned?”).

IV.  You are the salt of the earth.

A.  It improves flavor, texture, color, etc. 

B.  It preserves.

V.   You are the salt of the earth.   

A.  As salt exists to ______________ food, we exist to ______________ the world.

B.  Luther:  “Salt cannot be salt for itself; it cannot salt itself.”  So it is with us.  What we are we are for the world, not for ourselves! 

C.  _______________ is bringing Christ to others and being Christ for       others, at home, at work, at church, and in the community.

Pastor Armstrong's sermon is based on Luke 2:22-33.

It’s not what you look at that counts, it’s what you see!  (Luke 2:22-33)

I. What does God’s salvation look like? 

A. Salvation is __________________________ (v.30; 1 Corinthians 1:25;    2 Corinthians 12:9).

B.  Scripture says your eyes are either closed or opened, meaning that your    ____________ is either closed or opened to the crucified and risen Jesus   (Luke 4:20; Luke 10:21-23; Luke 24:31; John 9:39).

II. We “see” with our _________ (v.29). 

A. Simeon sees what others do not, including, perhaps, ___________________   (vv.29, 33; Mark 3:21). 

B. All of us need ___________________________ from God’s Word regarding: 

1. our                                   (Romans 3:9-23);

2. our _______________ (Titus 3:5; Ephesians 5:26)

3. our _______________ (Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:27;   John 6:54-55).

4. our _______________ (Luke 8:52; Genesis 25:8; Philippians 1:21).