Union Church

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Sermons and content from Union Church in Prescott, Arizona.

  1. 3d ago

    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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. Sep 8

    Genesis 3:1-5 - Did God Really Say?

    Listen along as we begin our new series, Did God Really Say. Notes/Quotes Reader: Genesis 3:1-5 - Linda B Title: Did God Really Say? “My feelings as a Christian point me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in loneliness, surrounded only by a few followers, recognized these Jews for what they were and summoned men to fight against them.... In boundless love as a Christian and as a man I read through the passage which tells us how the Lord at last rose in His might and seized the scourge to drive out of the Temple the brood of vipers and of adders. How terrific was His fight for the world against the Jewish poison!”  - Adolf Hitler “Satan is subtle. He does not directly deny God’s word, but introduces the assumption that God’s word is subject to judgement.”  - Derek Kidner “If the inner psychological life of the individual is sovereign, then identity becomes as potentially unlimited as the human imagination.”  - Carl Truman “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37–40) "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. (Luke 23:34) 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.  (John 15:9) 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)   Food for thought: Bias Blindspots & Swords

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Sermons and content from Union Church in Prescott, Arizona.