Sin has infected every single human being. It is important to know how our sin has broken a relationship with our sovereign God. No one seeks him, and as a result we make a mess of our lives. Only when we understand this bad news can the good news of God's grace have any appeal to us.Scripture: Romans 3:10-18

We often forget how transcendent God is, and try to think of him and related him as if he was on our level. We need to see God as high and lifted up and our hopelessness before him, unless he makes a way for our salvation. Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-7

The apostle Paul closes his letter to the Ephesians by explaining his faithful messenger and summarizing the message of the epistle. God calls all of the saints to do the work of ministry to encourage the hearts of their brothers and sisters.Scripture: Ephesians 6:21-24

Paul encourages the believers in Ephesus to take up the armor of God by praying constantly in the Spirit, making prayer and supplication for others. Pray for not only ourselves, but for others, helps supply, equip, and strengthen believers in the spiritual war and can unleash a great power in their lives to make them bold ambassadors for the gospel.Scripture: Ephesians 6:18-20

As Paul draws to the close of his letter to the Ephesians, he says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord.” Believers need to realize that they are in the midst of spiritual war and that they wrestle with a formidable enemy, the devil and his demons. More powerful, though, is the power that God offers to believers. Believers must do everything they can to make use of everything that God gives them to be able to stand and be strong in the war.Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-17

Josh Gilchrist and Jeremy Rainbow teach on Ephesians 6:1-9 covering what is looks like to walk worthy within families and workplaces. God has specific order that he has created, and he longs for people to ultimately honor one another. Authority is to be respected, and authority is to be respectful of those who are under it.Scripture: Ephesians 6:1-9

We see the contrasting results of Jesus’ prayerful dependence in Gethsemane and the disciples spiritual lethargy. We need to realize that we are prone to temptation, and despite our best intentions, we are weak in and of ourselves, and we need to depend on the Lord.Scripture: Matthew 26:36-46

Marriage was instituted by God in the Garden where He joins a husband and wife together in a one flesh union. God has specific requirements for husbands and wives. Wives are to be submissive to their husbands as to the Lord, and husbands are to sacrificially and lovingly care for their wives as Christ loved the church. Marriage is to be a vivid picture of Christ's relationship to the church.Scriptures: Ephesians 5:22-33

Those called to belong to Christ should know their spiritual surroundings and step carefully in wisdom, seeking to do what pleases the Lord. Believers must also choose to be filled with the Holy Spirit and live worshipful lives with one another.Scriptures: Ephesians 5:15-21 

Those who are united in Christ are transformed into children of light, starkly contrasting the way they used to be. Those children of light are to live fruitful lives by not only avoiding the unfruitful works of darkness, but by also warning the world around them of the eternal consequences of those works. Scriptures: Ephesians 5:8-14

A person united with Christ will live in a drastically different manner than before that union took place. Believers must learn to be imitators of God, walking in His love, which was displayed in Christ's sacrifice. Believers must be sure that certain sins, so prevalent in the world, are non-existent in their lives. The sexual sin, impurity, and greed so common in the world are not fitting for those who walk worthy of their calling.Scripture: Ephesians 5:1-7

Dennis and Wendy Dougherty, Josh and Pam Gilchrist, and Tanya Cammack answered some student-generated questions related to sharing the gospel with unbelievers and people with different religious backgrounds. Questions also covered forgiveness and authority in male-female relationships.

The old self that we are to lay aside is drastically different from the new self we are to put on. The new life in Christ must be, and can be, marked by gracious speech, controlled passions, and the fear of God.Scripture: Ephesians 4:25-32

As believers, we are to walk worthily and consistently with our calling. However, we are still in the world and must lay our old ways aside, realizing their emptiness and the damage they do to our lives. Instead, we are to put on the new self, pursuing the renewal of our minds and spirits and displaying Christ's righteousness and holiness.Scripture: Ephesians 4:17–24

God wants his children to walk worthy while preserving the unity He has given. He has given them common ground and individual gifts to help them make His name known in the world as they corporately become more and more like Him.Scripture: Ephesians 4:4-16

As Paul begins talking about righteous living that flows from a believer's calling, he stresses the importance of a believer's character toward his brothers and sisters in Christ. Those character traits help believers to bear with one another and to preserve the unity of the Holy Spirit.Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-3

The epistle to the Ephesians transitions from talking about all of the things that Christ has done in unifying believers to Himself and to one another. If those blessings are true, and believers have been called to belong to Christ, that calling will result in conduct that is consistent with it. As believers, we need to walk worthy of God's calling in Christ Jesus.Passage: Ephesians 4:1

Paul ends the first half of his letter with a prayer. All of these blessings that he has explained in chapters 1–3 do not happen automatically. They are ours in Christ. But since they are from the Lord, we need to seek the Lord in laying hold of them. Scripture: Ephesians 3:14–21

We all need regular reminders of the bigger picture of our salvation... the bigger picture of the church. And 'bigger picture' doesn't mean 'something we should think about every once in a while for an interesting perspective,' it means the purpose of our faith!Passage: Ephesians 3:7–13

Truly good, God-honoring works flow from regeneration and are God's creation. God makes those who were formerly dead alive in him by grace, and he has prepared the good works that his new creations will walk in.Scripture: Ephesians 2:10

Believers can rejoice in the spiritual blessings in Christ because of God’s commitment to his purposes. He blesses believers by making his master plan known to them, by making believers his possession, and by guaranteeing their inheritance by the sealing of the Holy Spirit.Passage: Ephesians 1:9-14

The last piece of Spiritual Armor Paul describes is the only piece of armor that is offensive. It helps us answer the question, “How do I attack?” Up to this point, every piece of armor has been a defensive tool against the enemy’s tactics. This Sword of the Spirit is an offensive weapon against the Evil One himself. Fighting sin, fighting the flesh, and fighting off the devil’s attacks requires the ability to use God’s word with skilled precision. You must know when to use it, how to use it, and where to strike with it. Just as with a sword. Want to defeat sin in your life? You should. Then make learning how to use God’s word with precision and accuracy a regular part of your spiritual growth. Resist the devil with the Sword of the Spirit, and he will flee from you.Passage: Ephesians 6:17Main Idea: Be learning how to make use of God’s word with precision and accuracy.

The believer’s confidence, strength, and hope for daily obedience is anchored in the eternal promise of their salvation. The realities of justification, sanctification, and glorification which are accomplished through the blood of Jesus Christ teach the believer what it means to live saved from the penalty of sin, the power of sin, and one day the presence of sin. To take up the helmet of salvation means to believe in these realities every day, and walk obediently as a new creation in them.Main idea: Taking up the helmet of salvation means living saved.Passage: Ephesians 6:17

The devil’s arrows are dipped in the tar of deceit and lit by the flame of wickedness. Lies, deception, half-truths, doubts: These are what the flaming darts are made of. The shield of faith is the believer’s only hope when it comes to defending against these attacks. The promises of God, assurance of salvation, eternal blessings in the Gospel of Christ: These are what the shield of faith are made of. The believer’s hope is that, in all circumstances, the shield of faith will hold up against the schemes of the devil. Therefore, it is our duty to make faithful use of it.Main Idea: Take up the shield of faithPassage: Ephesians 6:16

The devil’s arrows are dipped in the tar of deceit and lit by the flame of wickedness. Lies, deception, half-truths, doubts: These are what the flaming darts are made of. The shield of faith is the believer’s only hope when it comes to defending against these attacks. The promises of God, assurance of salvation, eternal blessings in the Gospel of Christ: These are what the shield of faith are made of. The believer’s hope is that, in all circumstances, the shield of faith will hold up against the schemes of the devil. Therefore, it is our duty to make faithful use of it.Main Idea: Take up the shield of faithPassage: Ephesians 6:16

What’s the first thing you picture when you imagine a soldier prepared to fight? It probably wasn’t their feet, was it? And yet, when faced with a charging enemy, among the first preparations anyone does before they engage is stagger their feet into a ready stance. But what good is a ready stance if their footwear is not adequate for stability and resistance? The Gospel of Peace is compared to the ‘readiness’ given by a well-designed pair of battle shoes. Wake up and lace up. This is what the believer needs to do every day if they are going to be ready for the battles they will face.Main idea: The Gospel of Peace makes you ready to stand.Passage: Ephesians 6:16

This message continues our Walking and Warring series looking at the second and third pieces of the armor of God: the breastplate of righteousness and the shoes of the readiness given from the gospel of peace, from Ephesians 6:14b-15.

How can you tell the difference between a street fighter and a professional MMA fighter? Many things: Stance, strength, agility, body control, technique, and various evidence of training (or lack thereof). How can you tell the difference between someone equipped for spiritual fighting vs. someone not equipped? It all depends on if they’re wearing a belt: The Belt of Truth. This message on Ephesians 6:13-14 will describe the design of this belt, the function of this belt, and the effect of this belt according to God’s word. Be ready to observe your own life in light of these things to determine if you are doing everything necessary to withstand spiritual warfare.Main idea: Get ready to do all you can by putting on the belt of truth.

If we are going to stand against the schemes of the devil, we need to be aware of what he is like.In any feat of competition, battle, or contest, a contender is wise to be knowledgeable of their opponent. If Christians have an adversary, shouldn’t we be so wise? Shouldn’t we know the enemy’s schemes and character? Scripture says so.Our adversary, the devil, is amazingly effective at making lies believable, sin desirable, temptation unavoidable, and error irresistible. In this message we seek to become more familiar with our enemy, so that we may stand in the evil day.More resources from Faith.

This section of Scripture shows us our natural state and that we desperately need new life in Christ, or regeneration. Out natural state is this: we are spiritually dead and unable to save ourselves, nor are we able to resist sin, the world, the Devil and his demons, or our passions and desires.More resources from Faith.

Ephesians 6:10-20 is the foundation which this series will be built on, and if verses 10-13 tell us anything, it’s this: Scripture is crystal clear that spiritual warfare is real, and we’re commanded to engage in it. This is a vital reminder to every Christian today. It has become too easy in our cultural moment, our own worldview, and in our sinful weaknesses to prefer ‘easy walking’ over ‘Walking and Warring.’ But the reality is God’s word tells us that if we aren’t warring, we really aren’t even walking. This challenge is a humbling one, and it will call us to do more than we’re capable of. But thanks be to God that in Christ we have all we need for the call. So, suit up. We’re in for an exciting ride.

To wrap up this dating series, Jared Millican moderates a Q&A with five of our current College Ministry volunteer leaders. Combined, these five have almost 40 years of experience with serving in college ministry. They’ve been through these dating series before, and they love to help college students think about the important questions that surround dating and marriage. More importantly, each of these leaders comes from different backgrounds of experience in their own relationships, through which they’ve followed Christ faithfully. Enjoy listening to fellow believers in Christ who are seeking to walk humbly with the Lord and who desire to help others to the same.Questions include:How do you know if you’re too picky?What is an appropriate way for a girl to pursue a guy with whom she has interest? How do you know when you are ready to date? How should a dating couple approach accountability with each other?How should a young couple practice building a relationship with God together? How should you deal with lusts and physical attraction within dating?

“Can I ______; can I ______? What’s ok, what isn’t? I can agree sex should be kept for marriage, but I still want to show physical affection while dating.” It is unavoidable that this tension will come up in a dating relationship. In this message we consider again what tension-causers in our thinking might exist regarding these questions. Then we look at some explicit commands in scripture regarding affection and sex. Finally, we observe a handful of biblical principles which urge us to make thoughtful, careful, humble decisions in this area. As always with ‘grey area’ issues, we need to take what is clear in scripture to grow in wisdom for what is less clear. Such intentional thought in this area of discernment is necessary in a culture which equates sex with love and sinfully promotes the unreserved gratification of our sexual desires.

This message finishes where last week’s left off: Biblical principles for addressing the tension some feel about Christians putting too much pressure on dating for marriage. The two principles proposed here are (1) The believer’s first responsibility in any decision in life must be to please God; (2) The believer must remember that everything they have from God is a stewardship, including their relationships. Tune in to see how this relates to our dating questions.

It is a common claim in Christian circles that ‘dating should be for the purpose of marriage.’ And yet, what is also a common claim among believers is that there can be ‘too much pressure for marriage’ in dating. Do you feel the tension? Why is it that we agree on this first statement but are uncomfortable and frustrated with this second statement? This message seeks to address possible causes of this tension.

In this message, we pick up where we left off from the previous message. We address yet another tension in the dating conversation. The goal is to evaluate potential causes of these tensions, address them with Biblical principles, and then propose possible solutions. In this message, the tension we address is: ‘I want to know what essential standards I need to have for a significant other, but I hope I get more than just the essentials.’ Tensions like these may give us unreasonable expectations, a prideful attitude toward others, and may very well stall our ability to have fruitful relationships. Thankfully, God’s word provides the true essentials we can work from.

A survey of Christian college students and non-Christian Americans revealed some common tensions in the ‘dating’ conversation. For example: ‘It feels weird to date a guy/gal that’s one of my closest friends… and yet I want my future spouse to be my best friend.’ Or: ‘I want to initiate, but I’m afraid if I initiate they’ll think I’m initiating.’ Ok everyone, lets address the elephants in the room. There’s a lot of them, and it’s getting tense. In this message, we begin addressing common tensions in the dating conversation. We evaluate possible causes of these tensions, we observe biblical principles which get to the heart of them, and then we propose some possible solutions.

Trying to ‘date well’ can feel like navigating a hot air balloon through the depths of the Grand Canyon… blindfolded. And sometimes it feels like there are more questions and opinions on the matter than fish in the sea! Wouldn’t it be nice if you could move forward in confidence, even without all your questions perfectly answered? Well, there is a way. And, yes, it still requires faith. It requires trust. And it requires obedience. But thankfully it’s God’s wisdom and goodness, not man’s opinions or your ‘gut’ you need to trust. God’s word shows us two foundational questions we must answer in the affirmative if we are to move forward joyfully and obediently with faith and trust in any area of life! In this case, let’s see how these two questions apply to the topic of ‘dating.’

In this recording, we have the chance to be encouraged in two ways: (1) Hearing the personal salvation testimony of our friend, Dan Crabtree; and (2) a Q&A with Dan Crabtree at Faith Bible Church’s college ministry Fall Retreat. In the Q&A, we get into more specific questions on the weekend’s topic: “The Clarity of Scripture.” While we may believe that God’s word is clear, authoritative, and true, that doesn’t always make the practical implications of these things easy. Such as: What do I do when someone disagrees with and opposes these things? How should Christians maintain unity when there’s disagreement on secondary or ‘gray’ issues? Listen in as these questions and more are addressed.Note: We apologize for the poor audio quality in this recording, but we believe the content is vital, so we have decided to make it available online regardless of the audio quality.

God has spoken clearly, we won’t listen clearly, but Christ is our clarity. So how should Christians wrestle through differences of interpretation in the body of Christ? Paul’s model is two-fold: You welcome each other and you be fully convinced. A hermeneutic of humility and submission guides us towards Christlike disagreement in the church.Passage: Romans 14:1-2

God has spoken clearly, but we won’t listen clearly, so is there any hope? Yes, because Christ is our clarity. Jesus not only gives us eyes to see and hearts to receive the truth of God’s clear Word, but he also teaches us in the gospels a faithful hermeneutic for reading Scripture. What Jesus teaches us is that all of Scripture points to him.Passage: Matthew 22:23-33

Though God has spoken clearly, the Bible often seems unclear to us because of our human limitations and our sinful rebellion. Submission to God through his Word gives you clarity, as Moses told the Israelites on the plains of Moab. But sin makes you stupid, unable to receive the clear Word of God, as so much of Israel’s history demonstrates.Passage: Deuteronomy 30:11-14

God has spoken clearly. The reason that we can have confidence as we read the Bible is because God is by nature and in creation a clear communicator. God created the gift of language and gave it to Adam and Eve, but when Satan distorted the Word of God and called God’s character as an Author into question, and mankind fell for it, obscurity entered the world. Passage: Genesis 3:1-6

While the Bible may not provide a red pin that tells you ‘You’ve Arrived’ when you get to where you’re going, we can confidently handle God’s word and successfully arrive at a proper meaning. We can do this when we handle God’s word how it was meant to be handled – as His Word, written at a particular time, to a particular people, in a particular context, for particular purposes, surrounding particular events. And yet, even with these particulars, the truths which God’s word communicates about himself, his creation, man, and eternal life are eternal and timeless. Listen here for 6 directions to follow to help you arrive at meaning in your Bible studies.

As the very oracles of God, the Bible must be handled with great care and accuracy. Our tendency can sometimes be to approach the Bible with all the baggage and background of our current cultural context, and jump straight to solving our own problems. Yet, in doing so, we create a problem: We likely miss the meaning of what the Bible is actually saying. In this message, we learn that before we can know how to use the Bible for our own lives, we need to know what it meant for the original writers and their audiences. Hermeneutics is the ‘art and science’ of Bible interpretation. The purpose of this series is to equip students with confidence and clarity as they approach their studies in the Bible.

In this discussion, John Gardner clearly lays out the wisdom of God as is demonstrated in his design for the roles and functions of men and women. John does a great job in this lesson helping us see the sad folly of rejecting God’s design, and the bright hope of cherishing it and following it. A brief Q&A follows John’s lesson, as students as questions to determine how this topic connects to the previous 3 topics in this series.

In this discussion, Dr. Dan Dionne sheds light on the topic of transgenderism and gender dysphoria from both a medical and biblical perspective. As believers it is our responsibility to understand the destructive nature of our culture’s agenda to promote transgenderism. The more we understand, the better we can speak the hope of the gospel to a truth-suppressing culture. (A short Q&A ends the discussion in this recording.)Note: We apologize for the poor audio quality in this recording, but we believe the content is vital, so we have decided to make it available online regardless of the audio quality.

In this discussion Lydia Kinne provides a clear explanation of the recent Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The implications of this overturning are immense. Lydia highlights the key talking points Christian’s should be aware of when considering a biblical, loving response to the abortion conversation. She also exposes some of the inconsistencies and contradictions of many pro choice arguments, and provides helpful insight into common objections Christians who are pro life might hear in common conversations about abortion. The discussion is ended with an insightful Q&A.

How do we understand and participate in government as an eternal citizen of Heaven while yet a temporary citizen of the United States of America in 2022?  What are biblical responses and examples that inform and are helpful in living out the Gospel under civil authorities? Key passages: Romans 13:1-14, 1 Peter 2:11-17Q&A at the end.

Jared Millican // Ecclesiastes 11:8-12:14 In this final passage of Ecclesiastes, Solomon does not write from a king’s perspective. He writes from his deathbed. You could say Solomon has been teaching us how to live with one foot in the grave. Solomon acknowledges we do not know how many years we have in this life. But he urges us to rejoice in all of them. And as he does so, he doesn’t do so in a bucket-list fashion. Interestingly, he draws our attention to the dying man, and he only shows us the simple things this old man is no longer able to enjoy. by doing so, we are urged to enjoy the sweet life God has given us while we can. After all, God will bring us into judgment for how we used this gift of life we have from him. He will not only judge how we enjoyed it… but whether we enjoyed it and rejoiced in it, in the fear of him. As Solomon draws his message to a close, we come to find: Fearing God and enjoying life with God are nearly synonymous. So, the end of the matter really is this: Fear God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole essence of who man is.Main Idea: Rejoice in the LORD Always, for this is the Whole Duty of Man

Jared Millican // Ecclesiastes 11:1-7 Main Idea: Let the unknown, uncontrollable things of life inform you how to enjoy the known things of life.

Brian Sayers // Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:20 In this sermon we look at 6 Inadequacies of Wisdom. Solomon has been telling us that, as a general rule, life will go best for us when we pursue wisdom. The fool follows his passions, the fool doesn’t plan, the fool doesn’t gauge his desires, the fool doesn’t seek wisdom. Hence why the fool’s life usually looks the way it usually does. On the other hand, it is always the goal of wisdom for things to go well for us, for us to be as effective and useful as possible. Earthly wisdom seeks this, and even godly wisdom in ways. But here in these verses, Solomon reveals that he knows our tendency toward putting our trust in earthly things. He’s seen himself and others trust in riches, pleasure, fun, fame, reputation, knowledge and understanding, and comfort. Each of these things will let a person down if their hope is entrusted to them. The same goes for wisdom. Wisdom is no guarantee for happiness, fulfillment, or success. In this passage, Solomon reveals 6 inadequacies of wisdom, which act as a warning to not put our trust in wisdom. Where instead should our trust be?

Jared Millican // Ecclesiastes 9:1-12 Main Idea: Death’s certainties and life’s uncertainties call us to faith-filled joy in God.

Jared Millican // Ecclesiastes 7:1-22 Main Idea: When death exposes life's limitations, wisdom calls us to faith in God.Death has lingered throughout the book of Ecclesiastes up to this point. It has been in the shadows, it has loomed overhead, it has been observed from a distance. But here Solomon urges us to face death up close and personal. Why? Because when we think rightly about death, we will learn to live more joyfully in this life. When we go to a funeral, when a loved one dies, when we have a near death experience, we're forced to recalculate what really matters in this life. Solomon wants us to learn how to 'look forward' to death. Not in the sense of longing for it, but in the sense of gaining the perspective death teaches. And he wants us to grab hold of that perspective today! He wants us to let the lesson that death teaches guide us today before death comes! And so, we're extended an invitation to a lesson from death in this passage. We would do well to attend and listen closely.

Jared Millican // Ecclesiastes 5:1-7Main Idea: Knowing what foolish worship looks like can help us worship wisely.At this point in Ecclesiastes, Solomon turns his eyes upward toward God, more so than he has already. He directly commands his readers to be careful with how they approach God in worship. This exhortation falls naturally into the sequences of topics Solomon has addressed. He observed the fallen nature of man all around him; he saw corruption and oppression; he saw man's inability to be made happy by the goods of the world; he saw the reality of death and the many ways it comes about; and he saw man's complete inability to prevent or explain any of these things under the sun. At this point we might expect someone to turn the gaze of their heart 'upward.' "Who can we go to for all of this?" That's what Solomon does. As Solomon looks back on his life, he recalls how many have approached God, including himself. Via negative examples, Solomon teaches what a right approach to worship looks like. He does this by describing what foolish worship looks like. From this we can deduce, then, how one ought to wisely approach God in worship. Consider how you approach your worship. Are you guarding your steps? Are you listening? Are you hasty with your words? Do you make empty promises to God? Do you excuse your failures? How does the fear of God address these things?

The Vanity of Envy, Loneliness, and Politics will Weigh Down Your Ability to Enjoy God’s GiftsIn this passage, Solomon is teaching on yet another three vexations that commonly weigh down man’s ability to enjoy the gifts of life his Creator has given him: The vanity of envy in work, the vanity of loneliness, and the vanity of politics. The interesting thing about these is: these three vexations are self-inflicted. But what this means is, they have remedies. If they’re self-inflicted, then man can actually do something (even under the sun) to temporarily relieve these common vexations. This has not been the case for the other ‘vexations’ and ‘vanities’ Solomon has recounted up to this point.So, what can the workaholic learn from Solomon? The sluggard? The antisocial or lonely one? What about those who put their hope in politics and rulers? And how are the vexations of envy, loneliness, and politics connected? In Ecclesiastes 4:4-16, Solomon gives profoundly simple insight for answering these questions. It has to do with the golden balance he mentions: Having a handful of quietness, rather than two hands full of striving after the wind. This is only possible with a right view of God, and the gift of life he has given us.

Solomon once again reaches back into his memory bank to consider how he once processed the realities of Death and Injustice. In Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 Solomon expressed his God-fearing conclusion about every day matters of life. The frustrations and the fun. The happy and the sad. He said, in Ecclesiastes 3:11, there is an appropriate time for every matter under heaven (under God’s sovereign reign). He also said there are many things man can’t figure out about this life. But this is part of God’s design for man, so that man would recognize his need for Him (Ecclesiastes 3:14). But now Solomon turns to consider another tough question: What does this mean when faced not only with the cyclical fluctuations of life’s ups and downs… but with evil? How must we think about God’s sovereignty when we it’s undeniable that man ignores God, and wants to live by his own power? In this passage, Solomon communicates both the godless and God-fearing conclusions he has come to throughout his life concerning these things. One thing is evident from it all: We are only as well-off as the beasts of the earth, so long as we don’t have God. In other words, we beasts need our Creator.

Solomon once again reaches back into his memory bank to consider how he once processed the realities of Death and Injustice. In Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 Solomon expressed his God-fearing conclusion about every day matters of life. The frustrations and the fun. The happy and the sad. He said, in 3:11, there is an appropriate time for every matter under heaven (under God’s sovereign reign). He also said there are many things man can’t figure out about this life. But this is part of God’s design for man, so that man would recognize his need for Him (3:14). But now Solomon turns to consider another tough question: What does this mean when faced not only with the cyclical fluctuations of life’s ups and downs… but with evil? How must we think about God’s sovereignty when we it’s undeniable that man ignores God, and wants to live by his own power? In this passage, Solomon communicates both the godless and God-fearing conclusions he has come to throughout his life concerning these things. One thing is evident from it all: We are only as well-off as the beasts of the earth, so long as we don’t have God. In other words, we beasts need our Creator.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 Five insights into making God’s sovereignty the foundation of persistent joy.You can usually bet that when the season changes, the weather changes accordingly. Certain weather is appropriate and fitting for certain seasons. In Ecclesiastes 3:1-15, Solomon recognizes something similar about life. There is a season for every event of life each of us experiences. In other words, everything that happens in our lives is appropriate, fitting, and right for the season it arrives with. The difference: We can’t usually predict these events, and we don’t always know the reason for the season. This can be perplexing. Undeniably, each season has the potential both for joy and pain; for hardship and gladness; for gain and loss; for laughter and mourning; for healing and breaking – and everything in between! When Solomon reflects on this perplexing reality, he returns to a familiar refrain: “This is God’s gift to man.” Surprised? Why is this a gift? Such a perplexity is designed to turn our heads away from the passing events of our lives, up to the God of whom Solomon says, whatever he does “endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him” (v. 14). Believing and living by this truth is one of Solomon’s secrets to a joyful life that focuses on eternal things.

Ecclesiastes 2:12-26 In this passage Solomon turns from describing his pursuit of gain through wisdom and folly. Now he begins to explain what he learned through a deep evaluation of that pursuit. ‘What does he have to show for it?’ In other words, he’s still trying to answer, “What does man gain by all his toil under the sun?” (Eccl. 1:3). Well, a sobering realization is reached when Solomon concludes that, in the ultimate sense, the wise man is no better off than the fool. “Why then was I so very wise?” is his regretful refrain. Looking back, Solomon realizes he missed out on precious opportunities to enjoy life. Why? He was too focused on trying to get more from life than life had to offer. He Failed to recognize that all we have is a gift from the hand of God. So, Solomon calls his listeners to not make the same mistake.

Main Idea: The purpose of Ecclesiastes is to teach us how to think rightly about a God-pleasing life that focuses on eternal things.In this message, we enter back in to the book of Ecclesiastes after 6 weeks away from it. The purpose is to re-introduce key themes that will be seen throughout the book. Those themes are: God wants us to have a joyful life. Life is transient and fleeting. And so the best way to have the joyful life God wants for us is to live in the fear of the God.

King Solomon has discovered that every surface upon which life can be enjoyed, every nook and cranny in which one might search for some new hidden gem of fulfillment, and any luxurious amenity life might have to offer for a man’s short stay on this planet – all of it! – is covered with a thick, dusty layer of frustration. At first glance, experiences with wisdom and knowledge seem like they should enhance one’s gain in life. But the cloud of frustration inevitably ‘puffs’ from even the cushiest of life’s experiences, causing any experience that could have been enjoyable to instead be uncomfortably disturbing. So, Solomon turns from his experience with wisdom, to experiments with pleasure, possessions, and people. Neither experience with wisdom nor experiments with the greatest things life has to offer can give Solomon’s soul the luxury of rest he longs for. Why is this? Why is all of it ‘vanity and a striving after wind’ for him? This passage, under the umbrella of Ecclesiastes’ message, helps us understand some answers to that question.Main Idea: Frustration in life must remind us that our business is not of this world.

‘Hevel…’ Vanity…Smoke…Mist…Breath… If these things represent the transience of life, and if they represent the transience of the experiences life has to offer, then Solomon wants to be sure we’re not chasing after the wrong things. Solomon wants to be sure we’re not putting our hope in the wrong things. Because the reality is, our lives will be over soon. And Solomon desires for us to escape the bitterness of the life that ends with looking back and wishes the things we once experienced had lasted a little longer. He would rather see us be able to look back and rejoice that our lives were characterized by a God-given, joyful contentedness in a God who is the giver of every good gift. Such a life is grounded in the fear of the Lord: Faith-filled obedience to God in response to a right understanding of who He is. Solomon says this is how we’re going to really enjoy life ‘under the sun.’ And our Creator agrees.Sermon Notes: Main Idea: Three themes of life to understand so that our lives would be what God wants them to be.Outline:• Life and Joy• Life and Transience• Life and the Fear of God

What’s the difference between unbelief and doubt? Unbelief is a resistance to unwanted truth; whereas doubt is belief under scrutiny. The main difference between the two is: unbelief doesn’t want help to believe, whereas doubt does want help to believe. We see that sort of doubt in this passage. A man has carried a major burden in his life which has been a cause for much temptation to doubt. But when he encounters Jesus, he receives the help he needs not only for his burden, but for his doubt. We see from this that we need to bring to Christ the things that are tempting us to doubt, and we need to entrust them to him. Then, we need to let him conform our hearts and minds to a more accurate understanding of who he is. When we do this, doubt is driven out.Sermon Notes:Main Idea: Doubt is driven out when we bring it to JesusFamiliar causes for temptation to doubt:• Conflict (vv. 14-16)• Unmet Expectations (vv. 17-18)• Burdens (vv. 21b-22)• Seeming Impossibilities (v. 22b) Jesus’ Response to Doubt:• Frustration (vv. 19, 23)• Mercy (vv. 19b-21, 27) Our Response to Jesus’ Correction of our Doubt:• Must be immediate (v. 24)• Must take ownership (v. 24)• Must call sin what it is (v. 24)

In this message we ‘deconstruct’ deconstruction. Deconstruction is a practice being promoted in some progressively Christian circles today. Believers are being encouraged to doubt what they’ve been taught, in order to organize a ‘faith of their own’ on ‘their faith journey’ so that they can more deeply enjoy and experience God ‘the way they perceive him.’ In reality, this pans to show that ‘doubt’ was never ‘doubt’; it was ‘dislike.’ But the Bible never promotes doubt. Christ never applauded anyone who doubted him or his word. He lovingly warned and rebuked and disciplined them. For good reason! Doubt leads to disbelief if left alone. Disbelief leads to abandonment of God. This message talks about the dangers of ‘deconstruction’; and next week’s will show us the sort of ‘doubt’ Christ willingly helps us through – the doubt that says, “I believe; help my unbelief.”Sermon Outline:• A definition of deconstruction• Trademarks of deconstruction• Why people deconstruct• The dangers of deconstruction• How to respond to deconstruction

Jared Millican // Jude 17-25Four things that are necessary to faithfully contend for the faith.1. Remember ‘them’ a. The Apostles’ words b. Who they spoke about2. Guard yourself a. Build yourselves up b. Pray in the Holy Spirit c. Keep yourself in God’s love d. Wait for Christ3. Save Others a. The doubters b. The perishing c. The corrupted4. Worship God with your life

Jared Millican // Jude 14-16Main idea: The Lord Will judge those whose teaching is ungodly.Sounds of ungodly teaching:1. Grumbling and Complaining2. Promoting sinful desires3. Boasting4. Favoritism to gain advantage

Jared Millican // Jude 8-13 Main Idea: The irreverence of false teachers may be demonstrated by how they…1. Make Claims of Authoritative Dreams (v.8)2. Revile Divinity (v.8-9)3. They are presumptuous and ignorant (v.10; 2 Pet. 2:10-13)4. Design their own worship (v.11)The danger of false teachers’ consequences illustrated (v.12-13):They promise a lot but deliver nothing…

At the launch of the school year Jared explains Doxa's mission statement: A loving community where collegians can learn to declare Jesus Christ with their lives.

As in Hebrews 3, Jude takes the tone of warning and exhortation in Jude 5-7 to admonish believers to remember how God had judged past unbelief. As believers we must regularly exhort one another so that we are not taken captive by disbelief or deception. Contending for the faith is not only an offensive stance. It is defensive. All sin is rooted in disbelief, so we must contend to abandon disbelief before we abandon God.

Those who have been called by God have been entrusted with the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. We can take hope as we contend for the faith because we are loved by God, and will be guarded by him until the day of glory. Today, contending is as necessary as ever, as false Christians represent a false gospel which denies Christ as Lord and gives allowance for godlessness and immorality. May God cause us to be faithful to contend, with love for the lost and love for his honor.

In the book of Jude we find a letter written to a small church, calling its members to contend for the faith. This ‘faith’ is the gospel ‘once for all delivered to the saints.’ Jude writes to warn of apostate false Christians who have made an allowance for sensuality and rebellion by distorting God’s Grace and denying the authority of Christ. In light of this, believers must contend with mercy, love, earnestness and prayerful confidence in God‘a word. Jump in with us as we see how appropriate this book is for today’s churches.

Topics include relativism, deconstruction of faith, sharing the gospel, defending the truth-claims of the Bible, the reliability of scripture, mormonism (latter-day saints), atonement for sins, church history, and more!

Dismantling nine arguments against the resurrection.

1. We as Christians have come to know him2. Because Jesus’ time on earth met biblical requirements3. Because the Old Testament predicted the nature of his life and death4. Because he was visibly authenticated by the father5. Because Jesus exhibited divine authority6. Because he lived a life of sinless perfection7. Because of the testimony of his friends and followers8. Because of the church he promised to build

A Summary of Dr. Nathan Busenitz’ research in Reasons We Believe: 50 Lines of Evidence That Confirm the Christian Faith. Available at https://www.amazon.com/Reasons-We-Believe-Evidence-Christian/dp/1433501465

Sermon from June 10 by Nathan Thiry

Main Idea: The mission of the Gospel is for people from all nations to know and worship God.Points:1. The Mission of the Gospel in Creation2. The Mission of the Gospel in the Covenants

Jared Millican // Selected Proverbs An exhortation to Convert and Commit in response to wisdom’s instruction.

Two things to ask God for so that we will desire riches rightly, in the fear of the LORD.

Five characteristics of the sluggard’s life which wisdom calls us to labor against in our own lives: The Sluggard is (1) Hinged to His Bed; (2) Happy With Excuses; (3) Hopeless at Completing Things; (4) Hungry for Fulfillment; (5) Haughty in his Self-Assessment.Definition of Laziness: Selfishly and neglectfully choosing ease over effort.

Josh McCullers // Fall Retreat 2019 Listen to all audio from the Fall Retreat here: https://fbchurch.org/resources/filter/established-lessons-from-an-exemplary-church/1

Jared Millican // Psalm 5 Note: We apologize for the audio quality due to technical issues after 32:45.Sermon Notes: The God who hears us is…1. A God Who is Holy (v. 4-6)2. A God Who is Loving (v. 7-8)3. A God Who is Just (v. 9-10)4. A God Who is Kind (v. 11-12)Application:• What keeps you from praying? (How does your answer demonstrate that you might have a wrong view of self and/or God?)• How does the holiness, love, justice, and kindness of God offer comfort in the face of opposing evil? (In the world around you, or in your own heart.)• How are you doing with taking shelter with God? (Do you believe that with him, and in following his will you are most safe and satisfied?)• With these four characteristics of God in mind, how should we respond when discussing the “problems of evil” in the world? (Whether with believers or unbelievers.)

With God as our loving King:• We can pray to God with confidence that he hears us• There is good reason for us to pray• God will respond to our prayer

Jared Millican // Selected Scriptures • A life committed to self-denial shows others God (John 14:6-11)• A life committed to self-denial is nourished by God’s will (John 4:34)• A life committed to self-denial is motivated by future joy (Hebrews 12:1-2; John 17)

Dave Knowles // John 6:25–59 1. All that the Father gives the Son will be saved.2. All who see Jesus for who He is and believe in Him will be saved.3. All whom the Father draws to Jesus will be saved.4. All who trust Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross will be saved. Note: These four truths all apply to the same group of people.

Jared Millican // Deuteronomy 10:12-14; Ecclesiastes 11:1-10Our most daunting decisions will be driven by our daily disposition. Deuteronomy 10 and Ecclesiastes 11 lay a strong foundation for understanding what this means. When we apply some very practical principles from these passages, and other biblical wisdom, we are freed to be at peace in confidently making God-honoring decisions. This is true both for daily habits, and when confronted with daunting decisions.

Paul Funchess // Selected Scriptures How God‘s redemptive story centering on Jesus changes how we make our decisions.

Dave Knowles // 1 John 5:6–12 God's testimony in the scripture and in his Son Jesus Christ is to be believed!

Chris Mullins // 1 John 4:7-12 John gives three reasons to love one another in order to give assurance of eternal life to true believers.

Brian Sayers // Hebrews 12:18-29 This week we have a group bible study time where Brian Sayers guides us through how to study the bible using Hebrews 12:18-29 as a sample passage.

Aaron Baddeley // 1 John 4:1-6 If you deny the incarnation you lose everything.

Matte Kondryszyn // 1 John 3:11-24 Love for other believers is evidence of true genuine faith. Love for fellow believers demonstrates a heart changed by the love of God.Sermon Notes1. The Dichotomy of Love (1 John 3:11-15)2. The Example of Love (1 John 3:16-18)3. The Assurance of Love (1 John 3:19-24)

Nathan Thiry // 1 John 2:28-3:10

Chris Mullins // 1 John 2:3–14 In 1 John 2:3–14, John gives three answers to this question so that you might have assurance that you know the true God.You know that you know God…1. If You Keep His Commandments2. If You Keep the New Commandment3. If You Apply what is Written and Grow

Dave Knowles // 1 John 1:5-2:23 Keys to Genuine Fellowship:- Walking in Obedience Produces Genuine Fellowship with God and Other Believers- Regular Confession of Sins Keeps the Lines of Fellowship Open- Jesus, Your Advocate, Secures Your Fellowship with God

Aaron Baddeley // 1 John In this overview of the book of 1st John we will see:1. The nature of God—Who is God? What is God?2. Law and Gospel—What is the purpose of God's law and the gospel?3. The nature of assurance—How can I know that I am saved—eternally secure?

Tom Dudenhofer // John 21:1-25 Jesus, the Son of God, wants us to know Him, be restored by Him, and follow Him.

Chris Mullins // John 20:30-31The purpose of the book of John is explained in this passage: John 20:30-31—"Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

Ben Peters // John 20:19-29 True peace is found only in Christ—a peace which gives purpose, deafens doubt, and blesses us with hope.

Josh Sturm // John 20:1-18

Kenny Mitchell // John 19:6-425 aspects of the death of the Son of God that will bring comfort and assurance of your salvation.

Aaron Baddeley // John 19:1-15 You are allies with the rulers of this world, or you are allies with the king who was exalted by humiliation.

Chris Mullins // John 18:28-40 In John 18:28–40, John displays three realities about Jesus in His murderous trial so that you might follow Jesus as King.

Matte Kondryszyn // John 18:1-27 The glory of Christ revealed in His display of sovereign control in the midst of His betrayal and arrest.

Paul Funchess // 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 The ordinances of the Lord's table (the Lord's supper) and water baptism are key elements in God's plan for the Church.