Union Church

Union Church AZ

Sermons and content from Union Church in Prescott, Arizona.

  1. 1d ago

    Jonah 1 - We Got A Runner

    Listen along as we begin our sermon series in the book of Jonah. Notes/Quotes Text: Jonah Chapter One - Jack Title: We Got A Runner “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” Hebrews 1:1-2 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”  Romans 12:19 “Should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?  Jonah 4:11 “It displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!” Jonah 4:1-3 “Mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks, and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck…”  Isaiah 8:7-8 “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139:7-9 “There is extreme irony here: a “heathen sea captain” pleaded with a Hebrew prophet to pray to his God. It is sobering to see one who might be termed an “unbeliever” pleading for spiritual action on the part of a “believer.” The “unbeliever” saw the gravity of the situation while the prophet slept. It is a sad commentary when those who are committed to the truth of God’s word have to be prodded by a lost world into spiritual activity.”  NIV Commentary

  2. Oct 26

    2 Chronicles 7:14 - Did God Really Say?

    Listen along as we finish up our series, Did God Really Say?. Notes/Quotes 2 Chronicles 7:14- Faith “The key to understanding any verse of Scripture is context. There is the immediate context—the verses before and after it, as well as the larger context of Scripture—how the verse fits into the overall story. There is also the historical and cultural context—how the verse was understood by its original audience in light of their history and culture. Because context is so important, a verse whose meaning and application seem straightforward when quoted in isolation may mean something significantly different when it is taken in context.” Got Questions Ministries Black and white photo from the Twilight Zone “…if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 Meme Calling for prayer for America “The verse is riveted with great spiritual truths – the need for humility, prayer, the pursuit of God, and repentance. Furthermore, it promises God’s listening ear, forgiveness, and healing. On the surface, it seems to be an ideal verse to claim for believers who long to see righteousness, truth and blessings fall upon their country. But is it legitimate to use?” Eric J. Bargerhuff ““When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.  2 Chronicles 6:26-27 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people,  if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.  Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”  Jeremiah 29:7 Does our situation in America more resemble Israel of Solomon’s day, or Babylon of Daniel’s day? Two negative consequences of the misuse of 2 Chronicles 7:14 1. It imposes an unnecessary burden, and can lead to false guilt 2. It omits a necessary responsibility, and oversimplifies our call “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”  1 Timothy 2:1-2

  3. Oct 19

    1 Corinthians 10:12-13 - Did God Really Say?

    Listen along as we continue our sermon series, Did God Really Say?. Notes/Quotes 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 - Beth   “8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death…” 2 Cor. 1:8-9a   “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 1 Kings 19:4   "I am weary with my moaning;
    every night I flood my bed with tears;
 I drench my couch with my weeping. My eye wastes away because of grief;
 it grows weak because of all my foes." Psalm 6:6-7   “7 So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the Lord, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.”  1 Samuel 1:7   ”24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." 1 Cor. 9:24-27   “10 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.” 1 Cor. 10:1-5   "The Greek word which we translate temptation means far more a test. It is something designed, not to make us fall, but to test us, so that we emerge from it stronger than ever.” - William Barclay   “Temptations discover what we are.” - Thomas à Kempis   "8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers,[b] of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead." 2 Cor. 1:8-9   “Temptations are a file which rub off much of the rust of our self-confidence.” - François Fenelon   "14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:14-16

  4. Oct 5

    John 14:12-14 - Did God Really Say?

    Listen along as we continue our series, Did God Really Say?. Notes/Quotes John 14:12-14 “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.” (James 5:17) “It was a notable event for God to put heaven in some sense under the control of Elijah’s prayers, to be obedient to his requests. From Elijah we may see the miraculous power of prayer.”  - John Calvin “Notice that Calvin is being careful here, he’s saying in “some sense.” He doesn’t believe that somehow (in our prayer) we may grab control of the universe out of God’s hands, but he’s still saying that the power of prayer is that God in His goodness makes the world susceptible to our prayers. That’s power!”  - Tim Keller “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:3) “35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:35&36) “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) “In Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them…”  (2 Corinthians 5:19)  “We can be sure our prayers are answered precisely in the way we would want them to be answered if we knew everything God knows.”  - Tim Keller Fix your heart where true joy is found and then ask for everything. - Augustine

  5. Sep 28

    Philippians 4:13 - Did God Really Say?

    Listen in as we continue our series, Did God Really Say? Notes/Quotes Philippians 4:13 “10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:10-13) “7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died.” (Romans 7:7-9) 17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” (Exodus 20:17) “Thou shall love God enough to be content in all circumstances.” — Timothy Keller “The root of discontentment is not really about those things we wish we had, or the circumstances we wish we could change. Ultimately, contentment is a byproduct of what we believe about God.”  —Ashley Linder Questions:  In what trench is God inviting you to learn contentment? What upsets your inner equilibrium? Can you have a lot or a little and do it well?   When my body won't hold me anymore And it finally lets me free Will I be ready? When my feet won't walk another mile And my lips give their last kiss goodbye Will my hands be steady when I lay down my fears, my hopes, and my doubts? The rings on my fingers, and the keys to my house With no hard feelings Under the curving sky I'm finally learning why It matters for me and you To say it and mean it too For life and its loveliness And all of its ugliness Good as it's been to me I have no enemies I have no enemies I have no enemies - The Avett Brothers

  6. Sep 21

    Matthew 7:1-2 - Did God Really Say?

    Listen along as we continue our series, Did God Really Say? Notes / Quotes Matthew 7:1-2 - Jami “It is a phrase that has been used countless times during contentious conversations or in defensive moments when someone is confronted about their behavior. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” These famous words from Jesus are recited by many but are profoundly misunderstood. One could easily argue that Matthew 7:1 is by far the most frequently misapplied verse in the entire Bible, used and abused by both Christians and non-Christians alike.”      Eric Bargerhuff Road map for today The primary interpretive question The result of the misinterpretation The cost of the misinterpretation The benefits of the proper interpretation “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.”      Matthew 7:3-5 “(Some) reading this piece, however, might hear Jesus’s warning about the log in our own eyes and not actually deal with their brother’s speck. You were kind of hoping Jesus would say, “Take the log out of your own eye, sit down, shut up, and leave your brother alone.” But no. He says to remove your log so that you can see clearly enough to handle the speck. Love means offering helpful, risky correction, not letting our sibling remain in error. Usually, when “judge not” is used to shut down moral conversation, it’s asserting that we don’t have the right to correct each other’s views on whatever topic is at hand. But contrary to that interpretation, we need to be deeply concerned with one another, that our view of sin and righteousness aligns with Jesus Christ’s.”      Rachel Gilson “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”       Luke 18:9-14 ““Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.”       Luke 6:26 “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. “       Galatians 6:1 “It’s not wrong to lovingly help our brother remove a harmful speck from his eye. It’s wrong to self-righteously point out a speck in our brother’s eye when we ignore, as no big deal, the ridiculous log protruding from our own.”       Jon Bloom

  7. Sep 13

    Proverbs 22:6 - Did God Really Say?

    Listen along as we continue our series, Did God Really Say? Notes/Quotes: Proverbs 22:6 - Anthony (a) the moral view
 The first view is that ‘his way’ refers to the path of morality, righteousness and wisdom. Usually, however, when the word ‘way’ is used in this manner it has a qualifier or adjective: i.e. the way of life (6:23), the way of understanding (9:6), the good way (2:20), the way of righteousness (16:31), or the evil way (2:12), the way of the wicked (4:19). Since there is no qualifier in our verse, this view is unlikely. (b) the vocational view
 The second view is that ‘his way’ refers to the child’s vocation. This is unlikely because in the ancient Near East children were normally trained to follow the father’s foot- steps. Choosing a career or vocation is a modern concept.  (c) the personal aptitude view
 The third view is that ‘his way’ refers to the child’s developing capacities, interests, and inclinations. Some preachers say that since the word ‘way’ comes from a verb which can be used for bending a bow, that we should understand here the idea of a child’s ‘bent’. This is bad linguistic methodology. Some scholars like Bruce Waltke, however, do use appropriate linguistic methodology and argue that the initiation has to fit the mental and physical abilities of the child. This view is incorrect, however, because it is based on understanding na ̔ar as a child. It also does not fit well with the notion of ‘initiation’ rather than ‘train’ as the meaning of the verb. (d) the status view
 The meaning of “the way” must be determined by the noun to which the pronoun his refers. If na ̔ar is understood as a squire (an adolescent on the cusp of maturity), then it may be suggested that “according to his way” means according to the office or role that he will occupy.  “Becoming a parent? Someone said it's an invisible tidal wave that hits you with such force that you lose your breath and never quite get it back.” - Fredrick Backman “I have to have a pattern of discipline in my life that enables me to steadily feed and nourish my soul and my body with the things that will enable me to be God's person where I am.” - Dallas Willard

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Sermons and content from Union Church in Prescott, Arizona.