Finding Justice

Finding Justice | May 23, 2021 am | Eccles. 3:16–17 | Living for More series

1. When have you most recently seen a travesty of justice (3:16)? How did you deal with this observation or experience?

2. When others face injustice how do you provide comfort?

3. When you have been asked to explain the reasons for injustice, how do you respond? How does this passage affect your response?

4. How does our God-given inborn sense of right and wrong (Romans 2:15) direct our sense of justice in the world?

5. We all have this intuitive desire for the wrongs in the world to be made right, so how does the definition of what is wrong and what is right get so distorted?

6. What are some ways that leaving justice to men can lead to justice not being served at all?

7. How do the injustices of life remind you of your own human limitations and frailties (3:18–21)? What effect does this have on your present life?

8. How does the knowledge of final judgment affect how you live your life now?

9. How does this knowledge about the future judgment help guide your perspective when times of discouragement come because the wicked seem to be winning?

10. Why does trusting that God is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent encourage and sustain a Christian believer?

Beautiful In His Time

Beautiful In His Time, Pastor Josh Crockett | May 16, 2021 am | Eccles. 3:9–15 | Living for More series

1.    What things do you seek to control? What might it look like to surrender control?

2.    How could you have a wiser perspective on your time?

3.    How does God’s control comfort you?

4.    How can you and why should you consider doing things, even the mundane, with enjoyment a gift from God?

5.    How does God’s sovereignty impact the way you make decisions and plans and how you enjoy even the small things in life?

6.    What could it look like for you to “grow small”?

7.    How does God’s control challenge you?

8.    How is fearing God a good thing?

9.    When God brings every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Eccles. 12:133-14), will it be a beautiful day?

Seasons of Life

11 The Seasons of Life, Pastor Josh Crockett | May 9, 2021 am | Eccles. 3:1–8 | Living for More series

Questions for Discussion:

1. Look over the list of events in verses 1–8. How have you seen God's perfect timing in any of these events? Have you seen God's timing challenge your own timing?

2. Which set or sets of opposites strike you the deepest and why?

3. How are God’s and life’s truths reflected in this poem?

4. Why does God allow polar opposites in life?

5. When is hating appropriate? What about war? Death? Tearing down? Answer these questions on a personal level (i.e., What sin in your own life do you hate?  What needs to be torn down?).

6. Why would God want you to make the best use of your time?

7. How does redeeming your time glorify the Lord?

Christian Carpe Diem

Christian Carpe Diem | May 2, 2021 am | Eccles. 2:18–28 | Living for More series

Discussion Questions:

1. Take an "enjoyment inventory" on life. How much satisfaction are you deriving from your sojourn on the earth? Yes, I know you're on your way to heaven, but what's the journey like?

2. What do the lives of people you know reveal about what they think will make them happy?

3. What strategies do you think people you know, including yourself, use to avoid facing the reality of death?

4. Name a few ways that God has taken care of your needs? How has He lavishly supplied your life with His good gifts?

5. In what ways have you sought to change life through work? What did you learn?

6. Would you say that you primarily see God as a teacher who wants you to learn, boss who wants you to work, or Father who wants to enjoy life with you?

7. Can you think of the last time you were conscious of God’s presence and how that made the moment meaningful?

Healthy Frustrations

Healthy Frustration | Apr. 25, 2021 am | Ecclesiastes 2:12–17 | Living for More series

Discussion questions:

1. How does your view of death affect how you view the meaning of life?

2. In what ways have you sought to enjoy life through folly? What did you learn?

3. In what ways have you sought to understand life through study? What did you learn?

4. In what situations do you become disgusted or angry with life?

5. Why does it seem unfair that all of the successes you feel like you have accomplished in life will be forgotten?

6. What does the Bible outside of Ecclesiastes say about success and accomplishments in this life?

Results of Pursuing Pleasure

Results of Pursuing Pleasure | Apr. 18, 2021 am | Ecclesiastes 2:9–11 | Living for More series

Outline:

The results of pursuing pleasure:

1. Popularity achieved (9)

2. Pleasure acquired (10)

3. But it was still empty (11)

4. The only pleasure that can truly satisfy is pleasure in God.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think people are so tempted to find meaning in pleasure? Have you ever tried this or been close to someone who has? What eventually causes someone to move beyond this method?

2. What are the most common pathways that people in our society travel to become happy?

3. Think of those people that you know who are truly happy - in their marriages, in their work, in their relationships, etc. What are the key elements that seem to bring such contentment?

4. Most commercials promise you a level of happiness if you buy the product and most products come with a warranty against defects. Why don't most products come with a guarantee that you'll be a happier person once you buy it? 

In C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters—which are written as letters from an older demon to a younger demon on how to steal human souls—the older demon gives this advice:

Never forget that when we are dealing with any pleasure in its healthy and normal and satisfying form, we are, in a sense, on the Enemy’s (God’s) ground. I know we have won many a soul through pleasure. All the same, it is His invention, not ours. He made the pleasures: all our research so far has not enabled us to produce one. All we can do is to encourage the humans to take the pleasures which our Enemy has produced, at times, or in ways, or in degrees, which He has forbidden … An ever-increasing craving for an ever diminishing pleasure is the formula.

What happens when Christians forget that God made pleasure and made us for pleasure—and that Satan tries to just distort God’s gifts to us?

7 Ways We Pursue Pleasure

7 Ways We Pursue Pleasure | Apr. 11, 2021 am | Ecclesiastes 2:1–8 | Living for More series

Solomon is going to test whether pleasure will give meaning in life (1).

And he tries the same ways we pursue pleasure today, by…

A.   Partying (1–3)

B.    Building (4–6)

C.    Acquiring (7–8)

Discussion Questions: 

1.     Entertainment, comedy, and sports are not inherently bad; however, in what ways might this type of self-gratification bring more meaningless into life? Can you think of examples from your experience?

2.     Solomon also sought pleasure in alcohol in his search of satisfaction. How can turning to substances to cope with or numb the pain of life’s problems make things worse?

3.     Are there instances in your own life which illustrate that control over things in your life does not bring happiness, rather bitterness? What are they?

4.     In what ways does the world attempt to find happiness in the pursuit of riches and the delights of the flesh outside of finding satisfaction in God?

5.     Do you ever look at what you do, what you build in life, and ask whether you’re doing it for yourself? What are ways ulterior motives can creep into good intentions?

6.     What other Bible characters have pursued their heart’s pleasure, only to find unhappiness and bitterness?

Much Wisdom Is Much Grief

Easter Sunday

Much Wisdom is Much Grief        Eccles. 1:12-18           Living for More series

Outline

 The pursuit of wisdom turns out to be empty.

 I mean if knowledge increased happiness, we should be the happiest people in history.

 Sometimes the more you know, the more frustrating life becomes.

 Even pursuing education & knowledge & wisdom without God are empty.

Why? Because the most brilliant minds can’t figure out how to evade Death.

The Bad News is: You can gain everything, but lose it all, if you don’t have Christ.

The Good News: You can lose everything, but win it all, if you do have Christ.

Application Questions

• Think of a time when your increasing in knowledge actually caused you to increase sorrow?

• Why do you think knowledge by itself can’t give us permanent profit or lasting joy?

• Paul tells the Corinthians that knowledge puffs up, but love builds up (1 Cor. 8:1). Why do you think that is?

• How does Christ’s defeating Death that first Easter give our lives meaning and purpose and hope?

• How does Death remind us of the Good News that you can lose everything, but win it all, if you have Christ.

Making Jesus King

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Making Jesus King                 Pastor Crockett               Mar. 28, 2021 AM

Lk. 19:28-40                           Palm Sunday              

 3 reasons you should make Jesus King of your life:

1. Because He will use anyone. (30-34)

2. Because He will be worshiped by everyone. (35-38)

3. Because He has compassion for all. (41-44)

Application

 1.     How can Jesus’ saying “I have need of a donkey” encourage you?

2.     What are areas of your life that you can submit to Jesus?

3.     How can He use those areas of your life for His glory?

4.     How does the fact that rocks and wind and waves and donkeys know who is the rightful King encourage you to worship?

5.     Why does Jesus weep over Jerusalem?

6.     How do Jesus’ tears for you encourage you to live for Him?

Hope in a Crooked World

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Ecclesiastes 1:12-15

Living for More series

Outline:
1. We are made to look for meaning in life… (12-13)
2. We are made to look for meaning in life, but (apart from God) we can’t find it. (14)
3. There are problems you can’t fix. (15a)
4. There are deficiencies you can’t fill. (15b)

Application questions:
Solomon seems to say that we are made to look for meaning in life, but apart from God we can’t find it.
· Does your work ever feel like “sore travail” (an evil burden)?
· How do you think sin and the Fall have caused humans to no longer understand the meaning of life?
· How does personal fellowship with God help give your life meaning?
· How does understanding your work as a direct assignment from God to be done for His glory give your work meaning?
· What are some problems in life you can’t fix (apart from God)?
· What are some deficiencies you can’t fill (apart from God)?
· As we approach Good Friday how can meditating on Christ’s cross work encourage you in your work?
· As we approach Easter Sunday how can meditating on Christ’s resurrection work encourage you in your life?

"What Is a Lament?" by Aaron Coffey

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Evangelist Aaron Coffey preaches from Lamentations 3.

- What is a lament? The passionate expression of grief and sorrow
- Lamenting is not just permitted, but expected and encouraged…even commanded.
- Lamenting is the biblical way to recognize things that are not right in the world today.
- We must remember God’s character.
- We must remember that God’s is enough.
- We must remember God’s Salvation.


- What are the words that describe God’s character that we see in Lam 3:22-26?
- How would you define God’s mercy?
- Where would you be today without God’s mercy?
- What areas of life are you thankful that his mercy is new every morning?
- What specific ways has God proven himself faithful to you?
- What does it mean that God is your portion?
- What do we/you look to besides God to be our protion…our satisfaction…our hope…our rest?
- What does it look like for us to wait upon the Lord?

Everything New

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Everything New | Mar. 7, 2021 am | Eccles. 1:8-11 | Living for More series

Outline:
All you do under the sun is weariness because…
1. Of life’s repetition (4-8a)
2. You can’t get satisfaction (8b)
3. It’s quickly forgotten (9-11)

But all you do above the sun is satisfying because
4. Christ’s work is new and remembered (John; Rev. 21)

Application:
1. How does Ecclesiastes 1:8 reflect the truth of day-to-day living?
2. What are some ways that the world seems restless and unsatisfied with life?
3. How does knowing and living with Christ’s salvation influence a change of choices and perspectives in your daily life?
4. How could knowing that you don’t create anything truly new in life and won’t be remembered under the sun impact your life?
5. In what ways is this truth reflected in the world’s decisions and direction?
6. Why does living with your passions and perspectives tied to life down here ‘under the sun’ end in despair?
7. How does a life with Christ reflect that all in life isn’t pointless?
8. What are things that Christ makes new in a believer’s life? How could this encourage anticipation rather than desperation?
9. Why does being remembered by God in the future give hope for life on earth now?

Labor for Profit

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Labor for Profit    Feb. 28, 2021 am   Eccles. 1:3-7  Living for More series

 Outline

• Without God, no matter how hard you work, you can’t profit (3).

• You can’t get permanent profit because you pass away (4a).

• You think you’ll change the world, but the world goes on (4b).

• Without God, the world can seem like a ruthless machine (5).

• The world is a gracious gift from our Creator (Jeremiah 33:25; Psalm 19:1; 65:8 113:3).

• God is not an absent Watchmaker, He’s a loving Shepherd. (Ecclesiastes 12:11; John 10).

Application Questions

• What does Solomon mean when he compares nature to a machine? What impact does this have on man and our relationship to the world?

• Has there been a time when you have sped up when you were lost either literally or figuratively? What was that like?

• When your gaze is focused ‘higher than the sun,’ how does that perspective differ from someone whose gaze goes no higher than the sun? In what ways is life with God different than life without God?

• How does knowing God is sovereign over all of creation encourage you in your daily life?

• Why does it matter to follow and obey the God who created and orchestrates the earth, sun, wind, and waters?

• Do you sometimes question why God allows our lives to be so short?

• Do you view yourself as a pilgrim down here or a permanent resident?

The Meaning of Life

Solomon is addressing the question, “What is the meaning of life?” And he says, “Under the sun (without God), everything is meaningless.”

 Solomon is going to examine three popular schools of philosophy:

 1.    Humanism: “Man is the measure of all things.”

2.    Hedonism: “The only meaning in life is to pursue pleasures right now.”

3.    Existentialism: “Life is meaningless, but live a life of courage and morality anyway.”

 John 1 shows us Jesus is the Logos, the purpose for life. Now everything has meaning.

 Application questions:

 1.    If you are a Christian, how does your view of the meaning of life differ from non-Christians you know? When your gaze is focused ‘higher than the sun’, how does that perspective differ from someone whose gaze goes no higher than the sun? In what ways is life with God different than life without God?

 2.    What are things non-Christians chase after to give their life meaning?

 3.    Have you ever had a season of your life where it felt like everything was dark and meaningless? What did you learn about yourself and God during that experience?

 4.    How does your faith in God help provide hope in the most difficult seasons of your life?

The Ultimate Prodigal Son

This morning we're going to look at the story of a prince who fell in love with a princess. And he wrote a passionate 2,000-word Valentine that we call the S...

We’re going to look at the story of a prince who fell in love with a princess. And he wrote a passionate 2,000-word Valentine that we call the Song of Solomon. But Solomon’s love story doesn’t start with Song of Solomon. It starts with another kind of love story—an affair. David’s mistakes in marriage and sexual sin would be amplified in the life of this son.

On Mission - Reaching the Unreached at Home and Abroad

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Picture of a Healthy Church

Pastor Josh Crockett

Acts 2:42-27

Ministers of Mercy

Acts 6:1-7

God's Work in the Womb

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Job 31:13-15

Adorning the Gospel at Work

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Titus 2:9-10