Harris Creek Baptist Church

SUMMARY Where in life are you prone to compare your life to others? What happens in your mind and heart when you compare to others? Is it helpful? Hurtful? As we continue our series, 7 Deadly Sins of Suburbia, Nate Hilgenkamp teaches us about the sin of comparison by studying Luke 18:9-14. KEY TAKEAWAYS -It’s been well said that comparison is the thief of all joy. -A parable is a story told in order to emphasize a single point of truth. -Comparison views life as a competition. -Some of you have an exhausting life because you are always comparing yourself to and competing with other people. -Where do you find your worth and value in life? Your salary? Social media likes and comments? How much playing time your kid gets? Your neighborhood? -If you really want to succeed and you can’t celebrate when other people succeed, you struggle with comparison. -The sin of comparison is not new or exclusive to Suburbia. It shows up as early as Genesis 4 when Cain kills Abel. There are many examples of comparison all t

SUMMARY Have you ever received a medical diagnosis saying you’d get worse if you don’t make changes? What about other areas of your life…things aren’t going well and they’ll only get worse if something doesn’t change? As we continue our series, 7 Deadly Sins of Suburbia, JP teaches us about apathy by studying Hebrews 5 & 6. KEY TAKEAWAYS -People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated. -D.A. Carson -The church will be at the height of its heresy when you call obedience legalism. -AW Tozer -If you g

SUMMARY Has there ever been a time in your life when you were frustrated or complained because something didn’t make sense to you? Because you didn’t get what you wanted? As we continue our series, 7 Deadly Sins of Suburbia, JP teaches us about the sin of entitlement by studying Luke 14:1-14. KEY TAKEAWAYS -What are things we feel entitled to? Comfort, health, time, food, money, safety, salvation, love…what is it for you? -Want to know a sure fire way to know what you feel entitled to? What do you complain about? Whatever you complain about, that’s what you are entitled about. -Don’t fall victim to a counterfeit version of Christianity and be OK with it. -Should Christians ever take the best seat? -Entitlement is focusing on what you deserve. -As Christians, we are to use whatever God has entrusted us with to serve others. -Discomfort kills entitlement. There is no comfortable solution to entitlement. -Entitlement is the air we breathe. It impacts everything about us. -For entitled people, it rarely feels li

SUMMARY Do you ever feel like your life is busy? What causes it to be that way? As we start a new series, The Seven Sins of Suburbia, JP addresses the sin of busyness by examining Mary and Martha in Luke 10. KEY TAKEAWAYS -Busyness is the enemy of encouragement. -What all could you put in the blank: Busyness is the enemy of ________. -Here’s a secret: you will always have a lot to do. There will always be more to do than you have time for. -How much do you like yourself and your life when you are busy? -Jesus had friends. Have you ever considered that? -Minister or ministry simply means to render aid to those in need. All Christian’s, regardless of where they work and get a paycheck, are called to ministry. -Busyness is the enemy of focus. -What is the work that only you can do? What are the things that only you can do? -Don’t let the many things distract you from the one thing. -You are the only one who is in charge of your relationship with Jesus. -Busyness breeds a victim mentality. You are either for me

SUMMARY Do you have anything that you’ve taken with you from year to year and life stage to life stage? What about from 2021 to 2022…what have you brought with you from one year to the next? As we kick of a new calendar year, Scott Kedersha teaches us how Christians change and grow, teaching through Ephesians 4:17-24. KEY TAKEAWAYS -Stop walking like a non-believer. -Where in your life are you living like a non-believer? Confess this to your life group and ask them to help you change. -Do you know about Jesus, or do you know Jesus? -Is your life marked by a trajectory that looks more and more like Jesus? -Put off the old. -Don’t just make small changes here and there. Completely forsake and repent from anything in your life that doesn’t look like Jesus. -What do you need to put off: pride, greed, lust, grumbling, gossip, selfishness, something else? -To be abundantly clear, putting off your old self isn’t about behavior management or modification. It’s not about earning God’s favor. It’s about responding to

SUMMARY When things disrupt your life, how are you prone to respond? What comes out of you when you are squeezed? As we continue our series, a Critical Christmas, Rich Bartel teaches us about the story of Mary and how she responded when God disrupted her life. KEY TAKEAWAYS -When God comes in and disrupts your life, how do you respond? -Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a simple, ordinary woman in need of a savior just like us. -Humility isn’t self-denigration, but rather an honest self-appraisal. -Mary responds with humility. -Mary acknowledged who her Master was and she humbly and gladly responded to His plan for her life. -Mary was submitted to God’s Word. -Mary embodied the truths Scripture calls us to live by. -You will never meet a mature, kind, discerning, wise, and loving Christian who hasn’t spent time reading, knowing, and meditating on God’s Word. -Mary responds with worship. -Life isn’t a matter of trying to not be shaken, but rather, what comes out of you when you are shaken. -Make no mistake: if

SUMMARY Have you ever been let down before? Had someone say they’d do something and then they didn’t do it? As we start a new sermon series, a Critical Christmas, Nate Hilgenkamp teaches through Luke 1:10-20 and examines the story of Zechariah, answering the question of whether or not God can be trusted. KEY TAKEAWAYS -God makes promises to His people. -God often talks about what He will do in the future, which requires a specific response from us: faith. -What circumstance causes you to doubt and question God the most? -God’s people often question God’s promises. -Do you struggle to trust God with your future because you’ve forgotten what He’s done in the past because you are so consumed with your present circumstances? -God fulfills His promises. -This is how we often question God: “How because I am _______?” -The answer to Moses’ and Zechariah’s question is the same answer to our questions: God is. He is who He says He is. -God does what He promises. -There are over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament t

SUMMARY Have you ever crossed the finish line in a race before? Or, what about crossing a starting line to begin a race? As 2021 comes to a close, JP looks back as we cross one finish line and looks ahead to what God has in store as we start a new race in the days ahead. KEY TAKEAWAYS -We refuse to make “the deal” with you: show up, pay up, and sit quietly as we entertain you and don’t ask too much of you. -We are committed to complete transparency with you. We will err on the side of telling you too much too soon. -We try every week to tear down the proverbial curtain between church members and church staff. We are a kingdom of priests, each and every one of us (not just the church staff). -At the end of 2018, we refinanced the loan on our property. It was a $6.1 million loan. We had a goal of raising $7 million in 7-years. -On average, we take in 25% of our annual budget in the month of December. -As of Wednesday, December 1, 2021, we are debt free! -We are committed to putting to death perception manageme

SUMMARY What does it mean to fear God? Christians are commanded to do so all throughout the Scriptures. As we finish our series studying the book of Ecclesiastes, JP teaches us what it means to fear God. KEY TAKEAWAYS -We are all moving toward death. You are older now than when you read the sentence before this. -Fear and follow God before your body fails. -You can and should take care of your body, but you are going to die. -Form your theology before your decline. -Don’t buy into a false theology that God is not loving and kind because we are commanded to fear Him. -Read other books, but only in addition to the Bible, not as a supplement to the Bible. -Fear and follow God by holding firmly to His Word. -There are so many distractions in this world that the enemy uses to pull you off track. -Your quiet time is not a means to please God. It’s a method of survival to fight against an enemy that is seeking to steal, kill, and destroy you. -If you are not regularly reading the Bible you are backsliding. -Why wou

SUMMARY While toddlers can be really funny with their actions and words, there is a big difference when adults do and say similar things. As we continue studying the book of Ecclesiastes, Nate Hilgenkamp teaches us what Scripture has to say about our words, work, and worship. KEY TAKEAWAYS -Here are some descriptions of the tongue in Scripture: snake, fire, sword, world of evil, and full of deadly poison. -Are you thoughtful with your words? -The wise are slow with their words. -Your tongue can eat you alive if you aren’t careful and thoughtful with your words. -Your words always matter, and they matter even more when it comes to your family. -You are never “safe” when it comes to speaking words that aren’t wise or gracious. -The wise work hard no matter what while the foolish work based on how they feel. -The wise are steadfast in their work. -Many of our problems with work are because we let our feelings guide our work. -Your laziness steals from yourself, and at times, it might even be stealing from your

SUMMARY Do you have a bucket list? What do you want to do before you die? It could be anything at all. As we continue studying the book of Ecclesiastes, JP shows us that God has a bucket list prepared for each of us and that we should live like we are dying (and will live forever). KEY TAKEAWAYS -We do not know what tomorrow will bring. -Mortality causes us to be reflective. -Weddings are fun and celebratory, but everyone is distracted. At a funeral, the focus is crystal clear and you have everyone’s attention. -Remember death awaits us all. -In America in 2021, we are bad at death. We’ve outsourced it in a way that is completely foreign to other cultures and all of history. -You do not know how much time you have left. -It is really hard and sad when death strikes. We mourn because we were made to live forever. Death was not present in Eden before the Fall and it’s not in heaven either. -Find joy in living. -God does not want to rip you off. He is a good God, and He loves giving good things. -What do you en

SUMMARY Have you ever been in a position where an authority figure was telling or asking you to do something you didn’t want to do? As believers in Jesus, what should our response to authority be? As we continue studying the book of Ecclesiastes, Nate Hilgenkamp teaches us what our posture and response to authority should look like. KEY TAKEAWAYS -We are called to submit to those in authority. -As Christians, we should begin our approach to authority with humility, not hostility. -Christians should be a joy to lead. Are you a joy to lead? -If you don’t respect those in authority over you, that says more about your heart than it does their leadership. -If you want to submit to God’s Word, you have to start by submitting to those in authority. -Human authority will be unfair. -Who do you fear more? Politicians, your boss, or the King of Kings? -Believers should gladly follow authority unless the authority is asking you to sin or go against God’s Word. -When you resist authority that is asking you to go against

SUMMARY When was the last time you had a bad day? What made it a bad day? As we continue our series studying the book of Ecclesiastes, JP teaches through chapter 7, showing us a biblical response to the pain and problems of life. KEY TAKEAWAYS -Do you view life’s problems as something to be avoided or something to embrace and learn from? -Younger people are desperate to learn from older people. -Don’t forget your mortality. You are here for just a moment and then your life will be over. -You get to choose who you learn from. Who are the people you are going to for advice? Just because someone is popular or famous doesn’t mean they are wise. -Learn from pain before you leave it. -When something is uncomfortable God often wants to teach you something. -21st century western culture moves too fast to learn from pain and discomfort. -Sometimes pain will be your best instructor in life. -It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. Don’t quit after the honeymoon period of something new and fun. -As a follower of

SUMMARY Have you ever wanted to buy something that you didn’t have enough money for? Or, have you ever been able to buy something that you really wanted? What did you feel like in both of those situations? As we continue our series studying the book of Ecclesiastes, JP teaches through chapter 5, showing us a biblical perspective on wealth and what it can do to us. KEY TAKEAWAYS -Jesus had more to say about money than any other topic other than the kingdom of God. -Why is it that it’s easier to give away $1 when you have $10 than $1,000,000 when you have $10,000,000? -How much money is enough for you? What number do you need to make each year? -Wealth can be a curse. -Simply put, wealth can complicate your life. -Wealth can be a curse to your satisfaction. When you feed greed, it grows. -If you are a Christian, being rich only comes with a high amount of responsibility. -Wealth can curse your relationships. Are people your friend because of your money? -Wealth can curse your sleep. You can have all the money

SUMMARY Have you ever been in a situation where you were in a bad spot and you were alone? How would it have been different if someone else was with you? As we continue our series studying the book of Ecclesiastes, JP teaches us the importance of doing life with other people and not being alone. KEY TAKEAWAYS -You were not designed or created to be alone. -Life is better together and awful alone. -It’s better to be alone in a cemetery than alone and alive. -What keeps you isolated? -Envy and comparing yourself to others will keep you isolated. -When we assess how we are doing in life, we are almost always comparing and measuring ourselves against someone else. Your contentment is based on being better or having more than them. -The essence of laziness is selfishness. -The most self-absorbed person is the farthest from God. -The person who is most isolated is closest to Satan…they are the easiest to pick off and defeat. -Greed will keep you in isolation. -Many people have provided for their family at the expe