05/21/2023 Worship Service & Sermon: Working Out Our Salvation - Philippians 2:12-18

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5/21/2023 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Worship Leader: Dave Stoltzfus
Speaker: Steve Midgley (Executive Director, Biblical Counselling UK)
Scripture: Philippians 2:12-18
Title: Working Out Our Salvation

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.

And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Notes:

1. Because God is in you, work out your salvation
A. How does the Christian life work?

2. Because the world is difficult, shine like stars
A. Do everything without grumbling or arguing
B. Hold firmly to the word of life

3. Because of one another, rejoice

#Philippians #christianliving

5/14/23 Worship Service and Livestream: Separated by Sin, Reconciled by Sacrifice - Leviticus 16

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5/14/2023 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: Leviticus 16
Title: Separated by Sin, Reconciled by Sacrifice
Speaker: Joe Whalen

Notes:

1. Eden: A perfect home...for two chapters
A. Perfect relationships
B. Sin ruined those relationships
C. Sin continues to ruin those relationships

2. Scapegoats: Temporary sacrifices for sin
A. One goat is sacrificed, the other is banished
B. The banished goat is imputed with the sins of Israel, then led out of the camp and abandoned

3. Jesus: The final sacrifice for sins
A. Abandoned by His disciples
B. Led out of Jerusalem
C. Imputed with our sins and sacrificed

4: Answering two objections
A. Objection #1: "I don't think my sins separate me from God"
B. Objection #2: "My sins have made me irredeemable"

5. Two applications
A. For the lost who want to be found
B. For those who have already turned to Christ

Benediction: May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

#Leviticus #atonement #forgiveness

5/7/2023 Worship Service and Sermon: Earthly Suffering, Eternal Glory - 2 Corinthians 4:12-18

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5/7/2023 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:12-18
Title: Earthly Suffering, Eternal Glory
Worship Leader: Matt Lambert
Speaker: Steve Estes

So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. [But] It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Notes:

1. Christians have real troubles in this life

2. Christians are renewed by their faith
A. David's faith in the Old Testament
B. Paul's faith in the New Testament

3. Renewing faith is faith that our troubles will be replaced by resurrection glory
A. The basic teaching
B. Objection: the road is hard and Heaven seems so far away
C. How our trials are "light"
D. How our trials are "momentary"

4. Renewing faith is faith that our troubles actually increase our future glory
A. Your sufferings will make you more glorious
B. Your sufferings increase your future glory by making others more glorious
C. Your sufferings increase your future glory by bringing greater glory to God Himself

5. What all this glory-through-suffering will look like on the Great Day
A. Beauty
B. Splendor
C. Honor
i. The Charge of the Light Brigade
D. All reflecting Christ's glory

#suffering #christianlife #glory

4/23/23 Worship Service and Sermon: The Lord Builds the House - Psalm 127

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4/23/2023 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: Psalm 127
Title: The Lord Builds the House
Speaker: Clint Estes

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat--for he grants sleep to those he loves. Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.

Notes:

1. Life is futile without the Lord
A. House
B. City
C. Children
D. Anxious toil
E. Application

2. Life is fertile with the Lord
A. Children
B. Sleep
C. Application

3. The Lord will build His house
A. Solomon's temple
B. Failure of others
C. Fulfilled in Jesus
D. The church

4/16/2023 Worship Service and Sermon: Christians Refuse to Lose Heart - 2 Corinthians 4:1-6

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4/16/2023 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Worship Leader: Tyler Estes
Sermon: Steve Estes
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:1-6
Title: Christians Refusing to Lose Heart

Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of the age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," make his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ.

Notes:

1. Christians are sorely tempted to lose heart

2. Reasons a Christian might lose heart
A. Paul will mention many reasons later in 2 Corinthians
B. One reason mentioned in these verses: Lack of success in ministry

3. Christians who lose heart may be tempted to change the gospel message
A. Describing "changing the gospel message"
B. The opposite of changing the gospel message

4. Christians who lose heart may be tempted to make themselves more important than the message (preach themselves)
A. Describing "preach themselves"
B. The opposite of preaching themselves

5. Why does Paul not lose heart? Two reasons in these verses, with more to come
A. God has shown him great mercy
B. God can penetrate the deepest darkness

#discouragement #gospel #assurance

4/9/2023 Easter Sunday Worship Service and Sermon: Avoiding the Resurrection - Matthew 28:11-19

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4/9/2023 Easter Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: Matthew 28:11-19
Title: Avoiding the Resurrection
Worship Leader: Luke Stoltzfus
Sermon: Steve Estes

Order of Worship:

Call to Worship

- Genesis 3:13-15, John 2:18-21; John 20
- Prayer of Adoration
- Congregational Hymn: "Worship Christ, the Risen King!" #286

Call to Confession

- 1 John 2:15, 16 - Prayer of Confession Assurance of Pardon
- John 20:30; 1 Timothy 3:16
- Congregational Hymn: "Up from the Grave He Arose" #276
- Congregational Music: "See What a Morning"
- Prayer of Thanksgiving & Supplication
- Acts 2:22-24
- Special Choir Music: “No More the Grave”
- Congregational Hymn: “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” #277

Sermon

- Congregational Hymn: "Thine Be the Glory" #274

Sermon: While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, 'You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.' If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Notes:

1. Background of this passage
A. The burial of Christ
B. The next day
C. The Resurrection

2. The actions of those for whom the Resurrection was something to avoid
A. The guards
B. The Jewish leaders

3. We learn things that tempt people to avoid Christ's resurrection
A. Reputation and luxury
B. Fear of the supernatural
C. These things feel safe

4. Avoiding Christ's resurrection is not safe
A. The Jewish leaders weren't safe
B. Pontius Pilate and Rome weren't safe
C. No unrepentant sinner is safe

5. Believing in Jesus Christ is the only true safe place

6. What Jesus told His disciples
A. "All authority on earth has been given to me."
B. "Therefore, go!"

Benediction:

All honor to Him who was delivered over to death for our sins, and was raised to life for our justification. Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.

#Matthew #Easter

4/2/2023 Worship Service & Sermon: We Are Glad! - Psalm 126

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4/2/2023 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: Psalm 126
Title: We Are Glad!
Worship Leader: Mike Culbert
Speaker: Wendell Stoltzfus

Notes:

Introduction: "He never committed a pleasure"

A. Ellen Glasgow's father
B. Martin Luther's colleague

1. We are glad! (v. 3b)
A. Psalm 126 is a Luther-type psalm
B. In the Bible, the chief characteristic of the Christian pilgrimage is gladness and joy
i. Not the gladness of lightheartedness

2. Joy Past (vv. 1-3a)
A. In the OT, there are many times where God restored His people in hopeless situations
B. The ultimate fulfillment of these verses comes later, with Christ

3. Joy Future (vv. 4-6)
A. In this psalm, two images express the joy or anticipation in a seemingly hopeless situation
B. The joy of anticipating what God is going to do--based on what God has already done--comes in the context of the pain, suffering, loneliness, of life in this fallen world

Conclusion: Joy Present
A. First Application: Psalm 126 teaches us how to read the Bible
B. Second Application: A thought exercise
-Think of a giant scale
-On one side, put all of your stinking circumstances
-On the other side, put all that God has done for you in Jesus Christ
-See which side outweighs the other -Consider that all the stuff on the hardship side is part of your preparation for God's eternal kingdom
C. The Verdict found in God's Word: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18)

#Psalms #suffering #joy

3/26/2023 Worship Service and Sermon: The Boy with Seizures, the Disciples with Little Faith - Matthew 17:14-23

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3/26/2023 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Scripture: Matthew 17:14-23
Title: The Boy with Seizures, the Disciples with Little Faith
Worship Leader: Randy Hepler
Speaker: Steve Estes

Notes:

1. The awful situation

2. Who Matthew focuses on
A. Like other gospels, Matthew records Christ's frustration with an "unbelieving generation."
B. Unlike other gospels, Matthew focuses on Jesus' disciples in this regard.

3. Jesus' reply: "You of little faith"
A. Common theme in the gospels.

4. Lack of faith is no small matter
A. The disciples' unbelief caused Jesus frustration while He walked the earth.
B. Unbelief shows that one is affected by one's culture rather than by God's promises.
C. Unbelief hinders our usefulness in God's kingdom.
D. Thus, unbelief is perverse.

5. How Christ sought to stir their faith
A. Jesus taught how much can be accomplished when we believe.
B. Jesus taught how little faith it takes to move mountains.

#Matthew #faith

3/19/2023 Worship Service and Sermon: Navigating Damaged Relationships - Philemon 1:1-6

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3/19/2023 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Worship Leader: John Sletta
Speaker: Joe Whalen
Scripture: Philemon 1:1-6
Title: Navigating Damaged Relationships

Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house: Grace to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.

Notes:

1. Three primary people in Philemon
A. Philemon
B. Paul
C. Onesimus

2. Three directions for those of us with damaged relationships
A. Focus on what you have...not on what you don't have
i. Jesus is enough
B. Keep serving...you'll learn much about Jesus
i. Serving Jesus doesn't exempt us from difficulty
C. Keep trusting...we don't know what God is doing in the lives of others
i. God, the greatest Author in existence, knows the best ending to the story

#Philemon #damagedrelationships

03/12/2023 Worship Service & Sermon: Elijah Comes First - Matthew 17:9-13

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3/12/2023 Worship Livestream from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA.

Worship Leader: Steve Boyer
Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: Matthew 17:9-13
Title: Elijah Comes First

As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, "Don't tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead." The disciples asked him, "Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"

Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands." Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

Notes:

1. The hard thing Jesus commanded

2. The problems raised by His words (Malachi 4:5-6)
A. Malachi predicted: Elijah would precede the Messiah
B. Malachi predicted: Elijah would bring restoration to the world

3. How Jesus addresses these problems
A. Regarding Elijah coming before the Messiah
B. Regarding Elijah restoring all things
C. Regarding the disciples' view that Jesus' death was incompatible with Elijah coming
D. How this applies to Jesus as the Messiah

4. Lessons
A. The reliability of Scripture is not tied to our understanding it
B. Not all interpretation is literal
C. Jesus and His followers bring salvation through suffering

#Matthew #Elijah #Jesus