2/16/25 Worship Service & Sermon: Growth in God’s Kingdom - Mark 4:26-29

/ Brick Lane Community Church/

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2/16/25 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: Mark 4:26-29
Title: Growth in God's Kingdom
Worship Leader: TJ Waldy
Speaker: Mark Estes

NIV: He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain--first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.

NLT: Jesus also said, The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he's asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. And as soon as the grain is ready, the former comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest has come.

Notes:

1. Introduction: Parables as allegory
A. E.g. Pilgrim's Progress
B. Prodigal son
i. Some church fathers took it too far
ii. Hyper-allegorical
C. Avoid over-allegorizing and de-allegorizing
D. E.g. Wicked Tenants
i. Pharisees knew Jesus was talking about them

2. Why are parables hard to understand?
A. Key: Mark 4:10-12
B. Jesus' two-fold purpose in telling parables
i. Reveal the truth to his disciples
ii. Conceal the truth from the Pharisees
C. Why do this?
D. Parables were a form of judgment on Israel

3. The parable of the growing seed
A. Symbolism
B. Four principles
i. In both the growth of corn and the work of grace, there must be a sower
ii. In both the growth of grain and grace, much is outside our understanding or control
iii. True life shows itself gradually
iv. Grain isn't harvested until it is ripe

4. Applications

#parables #spiritualgrowth #God #seeds

2/9/25 Worship Service & Sermon: What Love Looks Like - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

/ Brick Lane Community Church/

2/9/25 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Title: What Love Looks Like
Worship Leader: Dawson Estes
Speaker: Steve Estes

NIV: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

ESV: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Notes:

1. Fifteen verbs

2. First: Two positives about love
A. "Love is patient"
B. "Love is kind"
C. Combination reflects God

3. Seven negatives about love
A. "Does not envy"
B. "Does not boast"
C. "Is not proud"
D. "Is not rude"
E. "Is not self-seeking
F. "Is not easily angered"
G. "Keeps no record of wrongs"
H. "Does not delight in evil

4. Four zippy little phrases about love
A. NIV translation
B. ESV translation
C. Answering objections
D. Steve's Uncle Tom

#love #whatislove

2/2/25 Worship Service & Sermon: Love: Graces Better Than Gifts - 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

/ Brick Lane Community Church/

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2/2/25 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Title: Love: Graces Better Than Gifts
Worship Leader: Matt Griffith
Speaker: Steve Estes

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Notes:

1. Introduction
A. Challenges facing the earliest Christians
B. How God equipped them

2. Love is more important than gifted speaking and teaching
A. The gift of tongues
B. The problem
C. The application

3. Love is much more important than mere religious activity
A. "If I have the gift of prophecy..."
B. "If I can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge..."
C. "If I have a faith that can move mountains..."

4. Love is more important than even acts of personal sacrifice
A. "If I give all I possess to the poor..."
B. "...and surrender my body to the flames..."

5. The result of no love
A. "I gain nothing"
B. "I am nothing"

6. Three closing thoughts

Benediction: (From Psalm 28) Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard our cry for mercy. Our hearts trust in him, and we are helped. Save your people and bless your inheritance, be our shepherd and carry us forever. Amen

#love #graces #gifts #nothing

1/26/25 Worship Service & Sermon: A Fine Wife - Proverbs 31:10-31

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1/26/25 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: Proverbs 31:10-31
Title: A Fine Wife
Worship Leader: Matt Carter
Speaker: Steve Estes

Notes:

1. A wife of noble character
A. Who is the passage speaking of?
B. What if I'm not a wife or a mother?
C. A woman of noble character

2. First area of her attention: her husband
A. A helper suitable for him
B. "clothed in fine linen and purple"

3. Second area of her attention: her children
A. Basic needs
B. Involved in their lives
C. All this takes energy!

4. Third area of her attention: outside her home
A. Finances (for her home)
B. The needy

5. Near the end: "Who can find?!"

6. Applications

#wife #noble #noblecharacter

1/19/2025 Worship Service & Sermon: The Danger of Spiritual Declension - Jeremiah 2:9-13

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1/19/25 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: Jeremiah 2:9-13
Title: The Danger of Spiritual Declension
Worship Leader: Dave Dailey
Speaker: Rich Goswiller

Therefore I still contend with you, declares the LORD, and with your children's children I will contend. For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or sent to Kedar and examine with care, see if there has been such a thing. Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Notes:

1. Introduction

2. God's declaration
A. "Therefore..."
B. Some measure of judgment

3. God's indictment
A. They exchanged the better for the worse
B. Idol factories

4. The two evils committed by Judah
A. Evil #1
B. Evil #2

5. God's word for us today
A. Why do the faithful turn away from the truth?
B. Keep yourself in the love of the God who loves you

#livingwaters #brokencisterns

1/12/25 Worship Service & Sermon: Human Suffering & The Sovereignty of God - Various Scripture

/ Brick Lane Community Church/

1/12/25 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: Various
Title: Human Suffering & The Sovereignty of God
Speaker: Steve Estes
Worship Leader: Steve Boyer

Notes:

1. Introduction
A. Where is God when we suffer?
B. The story of Rabbi Harold Kushner
C. Many evangelicals are like Rabbi Kushner
D. Some people take the opposite view

2. The causes behind suffering in the Book of Job
A. What caused Job's troubles?
B. God governs nature and its laws
C. God governs both intentional and unintentional actions of people
D. God governs Satan and demons

3. An objection...and two answers
A. The objection
B. God is drawn to suffering people
C. God's motives for decreeing evil are good

4. Summary
A. What about suffering is God sovereign over?
B. For what purpose?

#suffering #sovereignty #God

1/5/25 Worship Service & Sermon: The Christians Eternal Rest - Hebrews 4:9-10

/ Brick Lane Community Church/

1/5/25 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: Hebrews 4:9-10
Title: The Christians Eternal Rest
Speaker: Steve Estes
Worship Leader: John Sletta

There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.

Notes:

1. Introduction
A. Baxter's life/illnesses
B. Old Testament saints in the desert were promised rest
C. Christians have hard lives, but God has promised eternal rest

2. Our eternal rest
A. Our eternal rest means the end of tiring effort
B. Our eternal rest means we will experience perfect love
C. Our eternal rest means we'll have the capacity for all heaven's delights

3. How our souls will respond to all this in heaven

#eternalrest #richardbaxter

12/22/24 Worship Service & Sermon: An Angel, A Virgin - Luke 1:26-38

/ Brick Lane Community Church/

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12/22/24 Worship Service & Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38
Title: An Angel, A Virgin
Speaker: Steve Estes
Worship Leader: TJ Waldy

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,

27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.

31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,

33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God.

36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.

37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Notes:

1. The angel

2. The place
A. Far from Jerusalem
B. Of "inferior Jewishness"
C. The town of Nazareth

3. The time

4. The virgin
A. Her need for a Savior
B. Her modest role
C. Her godliness

5. The conversation
A. Gabriel's graciousness and Mary's fear
B. Gabriel's reassuring message
C. Mary requests an explanation
D. Gabriel's astounding, mysterious answer
E. Gabriel's help to Mary's faith
F. Mary's courageous, submissive reply

6. The applications

#God #Jesus #time #gabriel #mary