Abundant Life Sermons

Jesus came to give a dying world a fountain of “living water.” John 7:37-38 says, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive…” JOURNEY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS In Exodus 17, Israel set out on their journey through the wilderness, but there was no water to drink. They complained. They doubted God would provide, and they cast blame, saying, “Why is it you (Moses) have brought us out of Egypt, to kill us…” (Exodus 17:4). God told Moses to strike a rock and promised a fountain of “living water” would come out. And that it did, even when the people doubted. BE A SPIRITUAL PIONEER The reality was that God’s people were not slaves and prisoners as they had been in Egypt. Instead, they were spiritual pioneers because He was leading them through the wilderness to the Promised Land! The problem was they didn’t see themselves as sp

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In John chapter 4, Jesus met a woman at a well and used “living water” as a picture of eternal life! Water is essential to life. The Apostle John later wrote about a city where “a pure river of water of life” flowed… “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”—Revelation 22:1 THE SAMARITAN WOMAN RECEIVED LIVING WATER AND ETERNAL LIFE Jesus came to Samaria and met “the woman at the well.” This woman was not well received by others in the town. But Jesus had an uncommon compassion for the woman. Why? Because He was sent by God for the redemption of ALL men and ALL women. The Samaritan woman was shocked that Jesus, a Jew, would speak to her… She was a Samaritan, an enemy of the Jews, and a woman. But Jesus’ compassion made a wa

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Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Having a kingdom mentality means living generously because it focuses your life spiritually. PRACTICE GENEROSITY. HAVE A KINGDOM MENALITY. Practicing generosity in Jesus’ name publicly declares the King you serve. It states that you belong to a different Kingdom. The kingdoms of this world are built on greed, idolatry, selfishness, and self-centeredness. Our King invites us to give in a world that takes. In a world of greed, Jesus invites us to give. Join Pastor Phil Hopper as he tells how a kingdom mentality eliminates… Focusing on the temporary Focusing on money Focusing on worry Don’t forget to click the “bell” to SUBSCRIBE to get more videos like this to grow your faith! Connect with us on Social Media ↴ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abundantlifels/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abundantlifels Connect with Pastor Phil ↴ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhilHop

Most people want to make as much money as possible to enjoy life as much as possible. But what does God think about this? He wants us to know the dangers of loving money so that we can be certain of the riches of the living God. THE PROSPERITY VS. THE POVERTY GOSPEL Prosperity gospel says… God wants you to be blessed spiritually, materially, and physically. If you have these things, you must be highly favored by God. If you don’t have these things, then you aren’t highly favored by God. The Poverty gospel says… The world and its desires are all passing away. If you really love God, you won’t love anything in this world. You must be living in poverty to show you really love God. SO THEN… Is it good to be rich or good to be poor? Should I feel guilty about enjoying things in this life or live it up? What is the right mentality when it comes to money? Join Pastor Chad Glover as he tells us about… The dangers of money The power of money The purpose of money Pastor Chad explains the right money mentality, and

How can we be good stewards and manage what God has entrusted us? Recognize that we own nothing, and God owns everything! -Deuteronomy 10:14 says everything in heaven and on earth belongs to the Lord. -James 1:17 says every good gift comes from God. -1 Corinthians 6:16 says we belong to God. Recognize we are not called to be owners but faithful stewards. 1 Corinthians 4:2 says we must be faithful stewards, or managers, of what belongs to God and what He has put in our care. WHAT IS STEWARDSHIP? Stewardship is the management of our abilities, opportunities, energy, and money for godly priorities. All that we are and all that we have, belong to God. We must leverage all He’s given us for His glory and the things of eternity. (See Matthew 25:14-30) WHY GOD BLESSES US… God has blessed all of us individually and uniquely with a level of ability to impact kingdom priorities. A “talent” in Jesus’ day was both a measure of weight and a large sum of money. Each servant was given a measure of “talent” according to

Living generously means living with a “margin mentality.” By working hard for our money and living wisely, we create a margin financially to live generously. Proverbs 6:6-8 says… “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.” So what does Proverbs 6 have to do with living generously? These verses explain the difference between and ant and a slug. The ant is always working while the slug is always resting. God commands us to work unless we physically can’t. When we are a “slug,” we develop an entitlement mentality, which robs us of joy. But living generously is about having a margin mentality, and protects the joy God gives us through giving. When we… Work hard Wise up Wake up … We do our part, fulfilling our responsibilities, and God will do great things and multiply our efforts. Living generously isn’t about giving everything we have away, it's about giving away what God has

Spirit-filled leaders bring calm and clarity in times of chaos. But what does leading through the storms of life look like? Acts 27 tells the story of a ship carrying Paul and other prisoners to Italy. Along the way, the ship was caught in a hurricane-force storm. It was the Apostle Paul, who was not a trained sailor, who brought calm and clarity to the ship. How? He believed in God and encouraged others to do the same. In Acts 27:22, Paul stated, “And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.” Join Pastor Phil as he teaches… Why God sometimes lets us sail through a storm About the 4 principles for leading through storms What we can learn from the storms of life Let’s conclude our journey through the book of Acts to discover what biblical leadership looks like and how we can live and lead by the Spirit of God. Don’t forget to click the “bell” to SUBSCRIBE to get more videos like this to grow your faith! Connect with us on Social Media ↴ Facebook: ht

The world is full of “almost” Christians. But what does that mean? And what keeps someone from fully surrendering to Jesus? In Acts 28, we read how King Agrippa was “almost” a Christian. He understood Jewish culture. He knew the prophecies recorded in Jewish scripture. He acknowledged the logic of Paul’s argument and couldn’t counter it. Yet Agrippa couldn’t surrender to Jesus. Why? There were 4 things standing in the way of King Agrippa moving from “almost” Christian to full surrender to Christ. Seduction Pride Family Religion Acts 26:28 says… “Then Agrippa said to Paul ‘You almost persuade me to become a Christian.’” Join Pastor Phil as he teaches… About the 4 reasons Agrippa was “almost persuaded” What “almost” Christians fear the most The biblical leadership principles we can learn through this passage Let’s continue to journey through the book of Acts and discover what biblical leadership looks like and how we can live and lead by the Spirit of God. Don’t forget to click the “bell” to SUB

Spirit-filled leaders live in fear of God, not in fear of man. This is a biblical leadership principle many of us in the Church need to understand for today. But how do we apply this principle? KNOW THIS… To the degree you fear God, you will fear no man. When you apply this biblical leadership principle, you… Will not fear being “canceled.” You will not be controlled by people’s opinions. Join Pastor Phil as he… Tells you 4 ways to make the gospel irresistible to a hostile culture Reveals the real enemy in our culture What the fear of man leads to, and what the fear of God leads to SOMETHING WE MUST KEEP IN MIND… When you look at the book of Acts, you will find that the gospel caused both revival and a riot. It was irresistible to some while reprehensible to others. The same applies to today’s culture. The gospel, by nature, is confrontational and divisive. It is good news to some but bad news to others. Our call is to present it and let the Spirit of God work in the hearts of those around us to receive i

Spirit-filled leaders ask these questions… WHO is Jesus? WHAT does He want me to do? WHEN does He want me to do it? Spirit-filled leaders have been changed and prepared to lead because they had an encounter with Jesus. Acts 9 describes Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. Jesus informs him that his persecuting efforts were futile, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads” (Acts 9:5). The encounter transformed him from someone persecuting Christians to someone preaching Christ. His encounter with Jesus gave him a new purpose and a new vision. WHAT GOADS DOES GOD USES IN YOUR LIFE? Life change isn’t easy. And God will use things in your life to bring you into your transformation. Listen to the sermon to find out the 5 “goads” God uses. IS JESUS IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING AND PREPARING YOU? Ask Him the important questions. Like Paul, He wants to strengthen you so you can go out and tell others about Him! Join Pastor Chad Glover as we journey through God’s Word and find out… What question

Spirit-filled leaders live for an eternal mission. Acts 1:8 says, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” HOW DOES JESUS USE SPIRIT-FILLED LEADERS? To seek and save those who are lost. The Spirit of God sends the person of God to share the good news of the Son of God. The Spirit-filled life is always reflected in simple obedience to the Spirit of God as directed by the Word of God. PHILIP’S EXAMPLE IN ACTS 8… In Acts 8, God used Philip (a person of God) to share the good news of Jesus (the Son of God). Philip, led by the Spirit of God, used the Word of God, and a child of God was born (the Ethiopian)! Join Pastor Phil as we journey through God’s Word and find out how… · Jesus seeks and saves the lost using Spirit-filled leaders · God prepares hearts to receive the gospel · One person’s salvation has the power to affect future generations Let’s

What does it take to be a strong spiritual leader? Spirit-filled leaders don’t save their lives. They lay down their lives for Christ. Their focus is on Christ and others. They, like Stephen in the book of Acts, aren’t concerned about living for now. They are on a mission of multiplication for the Kindom to come. In other words, to God, the greatest tragedy is not the life laid down but the life lived solely for oneself. In Act 7, the leaders told Stephen to explain himself, as they thought he was speaking blasphemous words against God. Stephen wasn’t interested in defending himself; he wanted to proclaim the truth. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, addresses the high priest and explains the historical events of his people, pointing to Jesus, and asks the leaders to consider how big God truly is. ACTS 7:51 “’You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.’” He told them they resisted the Holy Spirit. And this “cut to the hea

Do you want to know how to multiply yourself as a leader? Spirit-led leaders don’t merely minister to people; they minister through people. They encourage teamwork so that God’s Word and mission are fulfilled. HEALTHY CHURCHES HAVE HEALTHY LEADERS What does a healthy church look like? In a healthy church, every member is a minister. There are no spectators, only participators. In the average American church, the “pews” have become the “bleachers,” where Jesus’ “fans” come to watch the professionals “play.” THE PROBLEM Sadly, those who come only to watch miss out on great blessings to… Grow their faith and know their identity in Christ Find biblical community that encourages and ministers to them Make a lasting impact on others THE SOLUTION Adopt this leadership principle: Multiply yourself! God’s work demands teamwork. Jesus multiplied Himself in the twelve apostles. In Acts 6, the apostles multiplied themselves in others. TAKEAWAY: Again, Spirit-led leaders don’t merely minister to people; they minister thr

It’s the Spirit of God that supernaturally empowers every born-again child of God to be a powerful witness for the Son of God. Biblical leaders are filled with the Spirit and led by the Spirit. God promised to give us His Spirit so we could be powerful witnesses of His Son. The book of Acts is a historical record of the acts of the Apostles and the early Church fulfilling the Acts 1:8 mandate. WHAT IS THE ACTS 1:8 MANDATE? “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”—Acts 1:8 Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection established how we could be saved. The Holy Spirit’s work is to spread the message of salvation found in Jesus. The mandate is to “be witnesses to” Jesus. The Greek word for witness here is “martys.” It means… A legal or historical spectator who can swear by what has been seen “Martyr,”(it is from this Greek word we get the word martyr) is someone who exp

What are the 3 characteristics of Spirit-led leaders? Using the book of Acts as our guide, we will explore biblical leadership principles that helped the first-century church lead well to impact their communities and families for Jesus. Use these principles to lead well and leave a lasting legacy, making a great impact on those around you. THE FIRST-CENTURY CHURCH WAS A MOVEMENT MARKED BY… The first-century Church was a movement marked by men and women taking their faith seriously and leading others in their communities to follow Jesus. But how did they do this? They were known by how they lived and led, not by the books they read or the buildings they went to. Christianity upset the first-century world and began to reset the way the world operated. The first-century church lived and led in a new way. Here are 3 characteristics of this movement’s leaders… Leaders had clarity for the plan. The plan was to be used by God. Leaders lived with urgency and expectancy. They looked forward to Jesus’ retu

The song “Oh, Holy Night” helps us remember the night of Jesus’ birth. The lyrics guide us through how… Jesus taught us to love His law is love and His gospel is peace He breaks chains of slavery He makes all oppression cease “OH, HOLY NIGHT” LYRICS… Truly He taught us to love one another His law is love and His gospel is peace Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother And in His name all oppression shall cease The stars are brightly shining It is the night of the dear Savior's birth! Long lay the world in sin and error pining Till he appear'd and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn! Fall on your knees! ISAIAH 61:1 SAYS… “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.” Jesus was anointed to PREACH good tidings, HEAL the brokenhearted

“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” dates back more than a thousand years to the Monastic movement and reflects the prophecy written in Isaiah 7:14. “O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL” LYRICS… “O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appears. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.” “O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan’s tyranny; from depths of hell thy people save, and give them victory o’er the grave. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.” “O come, Thou Dayspring, from on high, and cheer us by Thy drawing nigh; disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death’s dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.” ISAIAH 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” THE THEOLOGY OF “O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL” The theology of this hymn is almost entirely from the Old Testament J

“Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” was written in 1739 by John Wesley as a musical celebration of Luke 2:8-14. “HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING” LYRICS… “Hark! the herald angels sing, ‘Glory to the newborn King: peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!’ Joyful, all ye nations, rise, join the triumph of the skies; with angelic hosts proclaim, ‘Christ is born in Bethlehem!’” “Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace! Hail the Sun of Righteousness! Light and life to all He brings, risen with healing in His wings, mild He lays His glory by, born that man no more may die. Born to raise the sons of earth. Born to give them second birth.” LUKE 2:8-14 “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all p