City Church Garland

“Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power…” Psalm 110:3 Psalm 110 shows us a victorious King, and a people who willingly offer themselves to Him. The language of v.3 carries the idea of a freewill offering… not guilt, pressure, or obligation, but people gladly placing themselves at the King’s disposal. Jesus isn’t looking for volunteers because He needs workers. He creates willing people because He has captured their hearts. When we truly see the King, availability becomes our response. This week take the sermon to the table: Where is Jesus asking for your “yes”? In your home? Your marriage? Your work? Serving? Generosity? Sharing your faith? A conversation you’ve avoided? Psalm 110 doesn’t describe perfect people. It describes willing ones who have encountered an extraordinary King.

In Psalm 4 we see how David’s example shows us how to navigate stressful situations prayerfully, trusting God through whom he experienced joy and peace. 1. What have been some unhealthy ways you have dealt with stress? Do you blow up with anger? Do you freeze up with fear and anxiety? Do you give up in despair and discouragement? Do you shut down or try to escape? Do you busy yourself with work, activities, or entertainment to avoid stress? The pressures that we experience in our life can often come in between us in our relationships, including in our relationship with God. We would do well if we would allow those pressures to move towards God in prayer rather than allow to move us away from Him who is source of life, help and hope that we need.

In Psalm 22, a passion psalm, the suffering of our Lord is described prophetically. Though David wrote the psalm and experienced a great deal of suffering in his own life, it ultimately points us to Christ and was prophetically fulfilled in him as he carried out God's great redemptive plan by dying for the sin of the world. Here are some ways we can apply this to our lives. • Consider Jesus and his great suffering for us (Hebrews 12:3)  • Celebrate the victory that is brought to us through the suffering, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.   • Cry out to God in prayer using some of the language of the Psalms of lament when you are walking through suffering and stressful times.  • Be comforted by the knowing that you are not alone in your suffering and that the Lord has not been aloof to it. Christ allowed himself to feel the pain that we experience in this life and one day will remove suffering from our lives altogether in the age to come.   • Comfort others who are walking through affliction and suffering (2 Cor. 1:4).  • Be confident knowing that your suffering will be turned for your good and bring God glory (Romans 8:28-29, 2 Corinthians 4:17).

God blesses His people to be a blessing to the nations for their salvation and joy and God’s praise and honor.

Repentance and reliance on the mercy of God were David’s responses to his sin and are our proper responses to our sin as well. This psalm teaches us that the worst of sinners who repent and rely on God’s mercy can experience sweet forgiveness, restored joy, renewed spirit, cleansed heart and nearness to God. This is only because God is merciful and gracious, loving and forgiving. “The function of this psalm, as a song sung by the entire congregation, is to shape their hearts so that they feel this at the deepest level, lest they ever presume upon the grace of God.” - C. John Collins, ESV Study Bible Notes, p.1000

In this sermon we see that God renews His people when they remember Him, return to Him in prayer, and heed His word.

This is a podcast from primarily sermons preached at City Church Garland.

In Psalm 78 we see that God raises shepherds who know Him deeply, and faithfully lead others so that the next generation sets its hope in God. He challenged us parents to transfer God’s redemption story to our children that they might set their hope in God and not be unfaithful to the Lord.

In this teaching, Dr. Justin Bass shares the historical background as to how we got the powerful epistle of 1 John.

God calls his people to give him their highest loyalty and to guard against competing desires, affections, and ideologies.

God has given us great confidence in prayer and assurance of victory over the forces of darkness, and from this position, we must pray for others and abstain from idols.

God has promised eternal life for those who believe in Jesus, and He desires that they be fully assured of this salvation.

The new birth is a powerful and gracious work of God, accompanied by transformative effects such as faith, love, and joyful obedience.

Jesus modeled for his followers love, humility, and service, and called them to imitate his example. Those who do so experience great joy.

The love of God was brought to us through Jesus coming into the world to become the atoning sacrifice for our sins. And the effects of receiving this love are displayed in love for others.

In this sermon, we learn about how the Spirit of God anchors believers in Christ so they can recognize truth, reject error, and remain unshaken in a deceptive world.

In this sermon, it is emphasized that the presence of love in the child of God reveals their new identity and nature and strengthens confidence before God.

This is a podcast from primarily sermons preached at City Church Garland.

The resurrection of Christ is a historical event verified by eyewitnesses that powerfully brings us God’s rescue to those who believe.

Jesus came as the expected Messiah and King of Israel, fulfilling prophecies, yet he didn’t meet the common expectations of the people.

This is a podcast from primarily sermons preached at City Church Garland.

In this sermon we hear that God gives warnings and assurances as a means of grace for his people to persevere.

What you love reveals where your heart abides, and only those who love the Father abide forever.

In this sermon, we learn about how the true path of Christianity is one of light and love.

This is a podcast from primarily sermons preached at City Church Garland.

God is light, and those who truly know him walk in the light.

In this sermon we leanr about how knowing Jesus is possible through the revelation of Scripture and is a matter of life and joy.

God’s people are called to draw near to him, hold fast their confession of hope, and gather regularly to encourage one another and stir up love and good deeds.

God’s people are called to honor Him by singing to him and by speaking about him.

In this sermon, we see that the person who delights in God’s Word and dwells upon it has a blessed life that is rooted and endures in every season.

Prayer is an essential practice of the Christian faith, and the book of Psalms teaches us the language of prayer.

This is a podcast from primarily sermons preached at City Church Garland.

This is a podcast from primarily sermons preached at City Church Garland.

This is a podcast from primarily sermons preached at City Church Garland.

This is a podcast from primarily sermons preached at City Church Garland.

In this sermon, we see how the good news of Jesus has changed the world, especially in the lives of those who believe.

In this sermon we leanr that the coming of Jesus into the world brought salvation and peace, yet it was accompanied with conflict.

In this sermon, we see that God’s people are called to look to God for mercy, forgiveness, and redemption and wait patiently for Him.

This is a podcast from primarily sermons preached at City Church Garland.

In this sermon on Psalm 95, we hear that God’s people are called to gather regularly in corporate worship to sing joyfully, worship humbly, and listen attentively so that they might trust and obey Him faithfully. Failure to do so had tragic consequences.

In this sermon, we see that true praise flows from remembering God’s benefits, resting in His compassion, and rejoicing in His everlasting love revealed in Christ.

Pslam 33 teaches us that God is worthy of our praise, and it is fitting for those who are recipients of His goodness and observers of His greatness to express praise and thanks to Him joyfully and reverently.

God has given us what we need to be content in every season and circumstance, but this must be learned. This is the main idea shared in this sermon and the higlhights on contentment are: Contentment is Based On God’s Providence, Not Circumstances. -Phil. 4:10-12 Contentment comes from God’s Presence & Power. Phil. 4:13 Contentment is found in trusting God’s Promised Provision. Phil. 4:18-19 Contentment is Experienced Through Prayer & God’s Peace. Phil. 4:6-7 Application exhortations for this sermon are: Enjoy the presence of God and find strength from him through prayer, thanksgiving, and praise. -Phil. 4:6 Ponder the reality that God is enough for you and has provided what you need and promises to continue to do so. Resolve to find contentment in Christ so that you can be freed up to live on mission and be joyfully generous.

Joy and peace are vital elements given to the Christian that must also be fought for and through prayer and biblical meditation.

In this sermon we see that Christians are called to stand firm in the Lord, anchored in hope, confident in God’s sovereign power, knowing their identity and united for the sake of the gospel. Therefore, my brothers whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.Philippians 4:1 ESV I. Stand Firm in The Lord- 4:1 II. Stand Firm By Imitating Godly Examples- 3:17 III. Stand Firm Knowing You’re A Citizen Of Heaven 3:20 IV. Stand Firm Anchored In Hope-3:20-21 V. Stand Firm With Confidence In God’s Sovereignty & Power-3:21 VI. Stand Firm Knowing You’re Loved -4:1 VII. Stand Firm In Unity Together- 4:2-3 Application Be intentional to follow examples and listen to voices that are Christ-centered. Be realistic but hopeful about the lost state of this world. Be confident in God’s power that works in you and on your behalf. Be humble and reasonable in your relationships.

This is a podcast from primarily sermons preached at City Church Garland.

In this sermon, we learn that the Christian life is a process of becoming all that God has saved us to be, which requires grace-energized effort. Sermon Outline Paul’s Admission Of Imperfection-3:12 (Holy Dissatisfaction) Paul’s Pursuit Of Christ-3:13-14 (Devotion & Determination) Paul’s Perspective -3:15 Paul’s Pattern To Follow-3:17 Paul’s Warning False Brothers -3:18-19 Paul’s Heavenly Hope & Citizenship -3:20-21 Insightful Quotes “To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul's paradox of love, scorned indeed by the too-easily-satisfied religionist, but justified in happy experience by the children of the burning heart.” A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit Of God If you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. ... It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, p.134 Application Recognize and admit where your life doesn’t display Kingdom values and pursuits. Remove distractions from your life to focus on the “one thing” that matters most. Resolve to pursue God’s plans and purposes for your life, relying on God’s grace to energize your efforts. Reflection Questions What do you need to change in your life in order to pursue the one thing that matters most? What habit is your greatest hindrance to run the race with endurance that is before you?

In this sermon, we learn that nothing in this world compares to the joy of knowing Jesus, and we must beware of the people and ideas that would threaten this joy. Knowing Jesus leads to joy and this must be fought for (Phil. 3:1). Those who truly know Him worship by the Spirit, glory in Him and put not confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:3). Knowing Jesus is more valuable than anything else in this world (Phil. 3:8). In order for a person to know Jesus they must come to him by faith (Phil. 3:9). And growing in our relationship with him means that we continue to trust him, pursue Him (Phil. 3:10-13) and obey his word (Phil. 2:12, Colossians 2:6-7). Reflection Questions Are you relying on Christ alone for righteousness? Is Christ your source of joy? Is Christ and his cross your point of boasting? Do you value knowing Jesus more than anything else in this world? How do you handle the temptation to trust in your strengths or successes and find your confidence in them? Prayer Lord, I want to know you! I want to know you more accurately and intimately. May I not settle for merely knowing about you. May my relationship with you transform every area of my life; how I see myself, others and the world. May I live as a citizen of Heaven with my life pointing others to gospel! Forgive me for where I have settled for earthly things, hoping that they would satisfy or bring significance to my life. Teach me to live like the Apostle Paul, who said “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

In this sermon, we see that Christians are called to imitate godly examples of Christlikeness that they see in others.

In this sermon Pastor Keith exaplains how Christians are called to be intentional in showing the saving effects of the gospel in their lives, being confident of God’s personal and continual work in them.