The Word from Mountain View

Worship Service Video Podcast - November 15, 2020

WORSHIP SERVICE

video and audio recorded live at Mountain View Church.

Find Sermon Notes and the Bulletin here.

Service to the King of Kings - November 15, 2020

by Pastor Chuck Ryan

Service to the King of Kings

 

Text: Mark 10:35-45

Thesis: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,” (Colossians 3:23)

 

1. The request James and John made of Jesus revealed that they were interested in being served.

“Let one of us sit at your right hand and the other at your left in your glory.”

1. People in general prefer being served.
2. When being served many believe that they have arrived at a place of standing in the community.
3. While serving, many believe that it is undesirable labor. Serving is beneath them.
4. James and John presented Jesus with an egregious request.
5. Jesus had just explained the horrors of his “Journey to the Cross” (vs32-34)
6. The other disciples were indignant.

“When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.” (vs 41)

 

1. Jesus states that our attitude toward serving should be different than the secular world. (vs42-43a)
2. Jesus is not impressed with the leadership style of the so-called rulers of His day.

“You know that those who are regarded as rulers…” 42b)

1. Jesus made it very clear that their leadership style was unacceptable in God’s Kingdom.
2. Jesus was making a distinction between The Kingdom of God and kingdom of this world.

• “May thy Kingdom come, and thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (The Lord’s Prayer)
• Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place." (John 18:36)
• “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.” (John 17:14)

1. “Jesus said, Not so with You.” (43b)

 

III. Jesus proclaimed, “that he did not come to earth to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.” (vs45)

1. Jesus came to serve humanity.

“ransom for many”

1. Jesus’ service went to the degree of death.
2. Jesus tells James and John, “You will drink the cup I drink…but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant.”

 

“Don’t seek position, let position seek you.” Dr. Charles Strictland

 

1. Jesus found “Joy” in serving.

“For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

1. Jesus came to do the will of the father.

           “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38)

1. Many have found Joy in service-oriented positions.
2. Whatever you do, do it in Jesus’ name.

“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward." (Mathew 10:42)

1. Never forget the Christian is in “Service to the King of Kings.”

Worship Service Video Podcast - November 8, 2020

WORSHIP SERVICE

video and audio recorded live at Mountain View Church.

Find Sermon Notes and the Bulletin here.

The Way of the Cross - November 8, 2020

by Pastor Chuck Ryan

The WAY of the Cross

 

Text: Mark 10:32-34; John 14:6

Jesus said, “I am the WAY, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

 

Thesis: There are things in life that are inevitable. Jesus teaches, the way of the cross was inevitable. There was no way around it, but God would see him through it. God will always make a way for us.

 

1. “They were on their WAY up to Jerusalem...” (vs32a)
2. “Jesus was leading the WAY.” (vs32b)
3. Jesus is our Spiritual trailblazer or pathfinder.

• “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
• “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6).
• “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
• “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36).
• "For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

2. Jesus’ going to Jerusalem was deliberate.
3. Jesus was in control. (Read John 10:14-18)
4. Jesus’ choice was a Divine necessity.

“Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns." (Matthew 16:22-23)

1. “The Disciples were astonished…” (33c)
2. The human response is to avoid pain at all cost.
3. “No Pain, No Gain” is the motto for any athlete who wants to win.

Hymn refrain:

The way of the cross leads home,
The way of the cross leads home;
It is sweet to know, as I onward go,
The way of the cross leads home.

2. Jesus instructs His disciples (us), "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)
3. “While those (the General Public) who followed were afraid.” (vs32c)
4. Fear is something the believer is called to surrender to God.

• “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Joshua 1:9)
• “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”(1 Peter 5:7)

2. God will comfort us so that we can comfort others.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (1 Corinthians 1:3-5)

 

Worship Service Video Podcast - November 1, 2020

With Pastor Josh Dringenberg and youth.

Bulletin is available here.

Youth Trip Report

with Pastor Josh Dringenberg and youth.

Worship Service Video Podcast - October 25, 2020

WORSHIP SERVICE

video and audio recorded live at Mountain View Church.

Find Sermon Notes and the Bulletin here.

All for Jesus - October 25, 2020

By Pastor Chuck Ryan.

All for Jesus

 

Mark 10:17-31

Thesis: God desires that we “love him with ALL of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.”

 

1. The young man asked, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ (vs17b)
2. This question raises the Biblical issue of “Faith vs Works” regarding the method of obtaining eternal life.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

1. God has a “work” to be done by every born-again child of His.

“For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

1. You are born or adopted into a family but once you are in the family you are expected to work and carry your own load.
2. “Goodness” in God’s definition can not be obtained through achievement.

• “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” (Isaiah 64:6)
• “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—(John 1:12)

 

1. The rich young man was overconfident in his physical, mental, and economic abilities to do what was necessary to obtain “eternal life”.

 

1. “Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
2. “Jesus looked at him…”

• “Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.” (Psalms 139:4)
• “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Luke 12:7)

1. “Jesus loved him…”

“For God so loved the World that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

1. Jesus, even though he knew the young man appeared to have everything stated, “One thing you lack, Go sell everything you have and give to the poor.”

      1.The young man’s wealth caused him to lack humility.

               “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." (vs 25)

2. Arrogance is the opposite of humility.
3. This young man, like others, think they are “the smartest person in the room.”

        “So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 18:4 NLT) (See last week’s sermon)

D, “At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth

       (vs22)

1. Money is not the only thing that can produce arrogance. Beware of power, position, and unchecked possession of knowledge.
2. The Disciples were “amazed” by Jesus statement and asked, “Who then can be saved?” (vs26)
3. Jesus revealed, “With man this is impossible but with God; all things are possible.
4. You cannot out-give God. (see 9-31)

 

https://www.mvcnaz.org

Worship Service Video Podcast - October 18, 2020

WORSHIP SERVICE video and audio recorded live at Mountain View Church.

Find Sermon Notes and the Bulletin here.

Children... Such is the Kingdom of Heaven

By Pastor Chuck Ryan

Children…Such is the Kingdom of heaven

Mark 10:13-16

Thesis: God has blessed our lives with beautiful children from family and friends, to our very own. These children are not only given to us to love and nurture in the ways of the Lord but to learn from.

 

1. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, and family brought children to Jesus so that he could touch them. (vs13a)

    “People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them…” (vs13a)

1. The “People” recognized the divine nature of Jesus.
2. The “people” demonstrated their absolute trust in Jesus by bringing their child, for him to “lay hands on them.”
3. As parents and guardians of our children we need to bring them into the presence of God.
4. We need to bring our children to Church.
5. We need to bring our children to Bible classes.
6. We need to bring our children into fellowship with God through prayer, singing and praise experiences.
7. The disciples tried to deny the children access to Jesus.

“…but the disciples rebuked them.” (vs13b)

1. The disciples’ motives may have been sincere, but their actions were rebuked by Jesus.

“When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (vs14)

1. Children are welcome to attend all Church functions.

(Remember: “Kids will be kids.” DAD)

 

1. Jesus made some profound proclamations about children and the Kingdom of God.

    1^st- “The Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (vs14c)

1. Due to their state of innocence God welcomes them into his presence.

"See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:10)

Manual statement under Article VI on the “Atonement”

We believe that Jesus Christ, by His sufferings, by the shedding of His own blood, and by His death on the Cross, made a full atonement for all human sin, and that this Atonement is the only ground of salvation, and that it is sufficient for every individual of Adam’s race. The Atonement is graciously efficacious for the salvation of those incapable of moral responsibility and for the children in innocency but is efficacious for the salvation of those who reach the age of responsibility only when they repent and believe.

 

(Isaiah 53:5-6, 11; Mark 10:45; Luke 24:46-48; John 1:29; 3:14-17; Acts 4:10-12; Romans 3:21-26; 4:17-25; 5:6-21; 1 Corinthians 6:20; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Galatians 1:3-4; 3:13-14; Colossians 1:19-23; 1 Timothy 2:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:9; 9:11-14; 13:12; 1 Peter 1:18- 21; 2:19-25; 1 John 2:1-2)

 

    2^nd- “Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." (vs15)

1. Jesus held the characteristics of a child that stem from their innocence, as entrance requirements into the kingdom of God.
2. Children love unconditionally!
3. Children genuinely loved and accepted Jesus. They did not pretend to love, to seek favor.
4. Children are brutally honest.
5. Children trust easily.
6. Children laugh often.
7. Children are humble.

“And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)