Rockport Baptist Church

Faith in God isn't about my ability, but rather about knowing and obeying God's Word, giving Him the glory, and being thankful for his patience towards us.

Like Abel, believers can offer to God a better sacrifice by acting in faith on what He has revealed, have God bear witness that they are righteous through offering to Him the sacrifice He has provided, and speak through their faith by entrusting themselves to Christ their sacrifice.

Because Jesus is the Son of Man who is coming in glory to judge each person's work, we must live today as His people who take up our cross and follow Him. I. The Third Reason to Take Up Your Cross – Because Jesus is Coming to Judge the Earth! vv 24-26 II. When Jesus Comes Back in Glory He will Judge Each of Our Lives. v 27 III. Some Standing There Will Not Taste Death until They See the King in His Glory v 28

Because we follow a Suffering Savior, we too must take up a cross like His and follow Him willingly into death if we wish to be His disciples. I. All Who Follow Christ Must Take Up the Cross v 24 II. Only Those Who Give All to Follow Christ Gain the Life He Gives! v 25 III. The Only Way to Keep Your Precious Soul is to Give it Away to Christ by Faith! v 26

Because being the Christ means that Jesus must suffer death and rise again, we must embrace and follow Him as suffering Savior before we can know Him as glorified King. I. The Necessity of Christ's Suffering to be Our Savior v 21 II. The Refusal to Believe that Christ Must Suffering! v 22 III. The Rebuke of Christ against the Satanic Suggestion that He Can Avoid Suffering v 23

Our world is very short on mercy these days. Cancel culture has grown like a weed and encouraged cutting off not only celebrities with whom we disagree but family and friends as well. Experts assure us this is both morally laudable and absolutely necessary for our mental health and happiness – yet it has made the world a friendless, merciless place. Sadly, the church has not been much different. We are quick to speak, quick to assume motives, quick to fixate on what the other person "ought to have known." In this passage, James warns us against such "judgment without mercy" and shows us a better way – the way of mercy. Choose mercy because love commends it, the law demands it, and you need it.

The First message is the series, "Transfiguration: Seeing Christ's Glory" begins by looking at Peter's Confession of Christ. Because we live in a world of opposition and spiritual confusion, we must come to a confident confession of who Jesus is by the gracious gift of God's Spirit through the Gospel. I. The Big Question You've Got to Answer is: Who is Jesus? vv 13-14 II. What is Your Answer to this Question? vv 15-16 III. The Grace-Given Revelation of the Truth of Who Jesus Is! v 17 (vv 18-19)

In this message we experience the thunder of God's holiness rumbling down from the Mountain of God's Law (Sinai), and then find the grace of God's mercy in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because God is fearsome in his holiness and His law cannot save, we must flee by faith to the Mediator He has provided in Jesus who leads us away from Sinai to the mountain of His grace. I. The Terror of the Law. vv 18-19a II. The Cry for a Mediator. vv 19-20 III. We Have a Better Mediator and a Better Mountain in Jesus. v 21; Heb 12:18-21

Because we know that God is faithful to provide all that we need, we must not allow our hearts to covet anything that belongs to another and instead strive to find our contentment in Christ alone. I. The Subtle Sin of Coveting Ex 20:17 II. As Human Beings We are Driven by Our Desires III. Only Christ by Faith Can Satisfy Your Heart, so it is Him you Must Go Php 4:11-13

The doctrine of election displays the character of a merciful, loving God and the nature of an amazing grace

Because Truth matters and God is a God of Truth, we who belong to Him must always speak the truth in love both to and about our neighbors for Christ's sake. I. God Commanded His Covenant People to Never Lie About Others Ex 20:16 II. God's People Must be Committed to Always Speak the Truth To and About Others Ex 4:25 III. Jesus Calls us to Use Our Words to Build Others Up, Not to Tear Them Down Eph 4:29

Because Christ is our Lord and the giver of all good things, we must not only reject the self-centered life of the thief, but must also embrace the self-giving generosity of Christ. I. God Commanded His Old Covenant People Israel Not to Steal from One Another! Ex 20:15 II. God is the One Who Gives What We Need to Glorify and Enjoy Him! Jas 1:17; 1 Tim 6:17; III. God Calls us as Christians to a Stewardship of Christ-like Generosity with our things Eph 4:28

Because marriage matters, we must guard our hearts, minds and lives against the devastating danger of adultery by cultivating a Christ-like love that values the good of marriage. I. Adultery is a Devastating Sin Because Marriage is a Vital Good Given by God. Ex 20:14; Heb 13:4 II. The Heart of the Matter is the Condition of Your Heart! Mt 5:27-28; III. Christian Obedience to God's Commands Flow from a Heart made new in Christ

The Sixth Commandment: Because every human life reflects God's image and is precious to Him, we must value each person as valuable and worthy of respect (something we can only do through the power of Christ's love given in the new birth). I. The Purpose of the Prohibition for Israel was to Protect the Value of Every Human Life Ex 20:13 1) The Law served Israel as a Fence 2) The Law served Israel as a Teacher II. The Deeper Truth of Creation Order that Proclaims the Value of Every Human Life! Gn 1:26; 9:6 III. The Grace We Need thru the Gospel that Brings a New Heart to Love God and Value Others Mt 5:21-22; Rm 13:8-10

Living the good life means rejecting the world's way of thinking and acting, including the partiality that comes to us so naturally. Showing special treatment to some and lesser treatment to others based on whom they seem to be displays a lack of love, a lack of sense, and a lack of faith. Put more bluntly, partiality is selfish, dumb, and worldly. In this passage, James helps us see that favoritism doesn't fit the Christian and shows us the hope that comes from looking past appearances to the powerful grace of God.

Because family matters and is central to God's purpose of bringing up godly children and securing the stability of society, we must train our children to honor their parents into old age and to do the same ourselves. I. Because Family Matters, the People of Israel were Commanded to Honor Father and Mother. Ex 20:12 II. Because Family Matters: We must forge a biblical culture that values and upholds parenthood III. Because Family Matters, Our Homes Must be Centers of Faith-filled Discipleship. Ex 6:1-4The sermon emphasizes the vital role of family in God's plan, drawing from Exodus 20 and Ephesians 6 to highlight the importance of honoring parents and fostering a faith-filled home. It asserts that healthy families are foundational for individual well-being, societal stability, and national flourishing, urging both children to obey and fathers to discipline with grace, ultimately pointing to Christ as the source of redemption and guidance for navigating the complexities of family life and resisting the destru

Because the Sabbath command was given as a sign of the old covenant that has been fulfilled with the coming of Christ, we must now rest our faith in Him, submitting the whole of our lives to His Lordship. I. The Law of the Sabbath Was Central to God's Old Covenant with the Nation of Israel Ex 20:8-11 (1) It was the Law of the Land (2) It was a Sign of the Covenant (3) It was a Test of their Faith II. The Sabbath Principle of Rest from Labor Points Us to the Goodness of God (1) The Gift of Work and Rest (2) The Grace of Compassion to Others (3) Our need to find rest in Christ by Faith III. We are no longer under the Law of the Sabbath because we have something far better in Christ! Col 2:16-17 (1) Jesus is the Substance of Salvation the OT Shadows like the Sabbath only pointed to! (2) We Keep Sabbath, not by resting on a Day, but by resting by faith in Christ! (3) In the New Covenant we don't have a Sabbath Day to keep, but a Lord's Day to Celebrate!

Turning from trust in yourself to trust in Yahweh brings His comprehensive holiness, and turning from your wisdom to the fear of Yahweh brings complete renewal.

Because God's Name represents Who He is and we are commanded to love God, we must love and honor His name, using it and wearing it with respect. I. Israel Was Commanded to Take God's Name Very Seriously in All They Did v 7 II. We must Take God's Name Very Seriously in the Way We Speak of Him! III. We Must Take Christ's Name Seriously in the Way We Wear It Before Others! 2 Tim 2:19b

Because every man-made image used in worship obscures God's glory and misrepresents him, his people are commanded to have no images in worship but instead to give their full attention to Him as He has revealed Himself in His Word and above all in Christ. I. The Second Commandment Prohibited Images of God Used in Worship vv 4-5a II. God is Zealous for His Glory, and Images Always Obscure His Glory v 5b III. God Warns of Dire Consequences for Those who Exchange His Glory for Images vv5b