The Backside of the Tapestry - Notes from the Sermon 9/25/16

The Backside of the Tapestry
Scriptures: Isaiah 55:8-9, Romans 11:33-36
Pastor Keith Schadel

How does God pick who gets which parents?

There are things we do not know, because God's ways are not our ways.

I don't think I'm supposed to know the answer.

We can know:

• There is a big problem: We are a fallen race.
• We are no longer in fellowship with God except through Jesus Christ.
• God's plan was for us to rely fully on Him, not on our own knowledge.
• God's plan will be fulfilled.
• God said if they would put their trust in Him they would be made right in the law, not the other way around.

Paul is telling the Romans, yes, you have come to Jesus, but now instead of trusting Him you are starting to try to do it yourself.

Bad and good are a God concept, not a human concept

What happens when we put faith in ourselves?

• Hearts harden to God.
• The less you accept God's Grace

We can't know this! All we can see is the backside of the tapestry. God is on the front he can see the beautiful masterpiece.

Trust because God is God and only God is good.

We should respond by remembering the Gospel! 

Jesus is the fix!

We should praise God because He is Sovereign and knows the answers.

Angels and Demons - Notes from the Sermon 9/11/16

Angels and Demons
Sermon Scripture: Hebrews 1
Pastor Keith Schadel

Angels are not Jesus, we don't worship them.

Ten Questions and Answers on Angels!

1. Do people become angels?

• No, there are humans in Heaven and Angels. They're not the same thing. People do not become angels.

2. What are angels?

• The Hebrew and Greek word that gets translated to angel means Messenger.
• Spirit Beings.

3. Do angels have bodies like humans?

• No, Jesus said Spirit is not flesh and blood.
• Sometimes they take on forms.
• They can appear as humans, most of the time they're invisible.
• Under normal circumstances we don't see them.

4. What do they look like?

• Sometimes humans, usually male.
• Crazy looking creatures
• Seraphs

5. Do angels have wings?

• They do in pictures, but those pictures are not photographs.
• Seraphs do.
• They can fly, but that does not necessarily mean they have wings.

6. How do angels compare to humans?

• Angels are stronger, they can move things we can't.
• Angels know things we cannot know.
• Angels are more mobile than we are, they can go places and speak things we cannot.
• They cannot reproduce.
• They are not as strong, mobile, and all knowing as God.

7. Where do angels come from?

• They're created
• They predate humans, but not God.

8. Are all angels good?

• Not in the sense we know the word good.
• Romans 8
• They have freewill like humans do - Some have rebelled against God, we call them Demons.
• They have a hierarchy
• Michael is the archangel - head angel
• Satan is Michael's counterpart - head demon
• He is not God's counterpart, nothing is equal to God.
• There is a war between angels and demons - spiritual warfare.
• When we put our trust in Jesus, He keeps us safe from this warfare.

9. What is the purpose of angels?

• Praise God unceasingly
• Serve Humans
• Guidance
• Many wonderful tasks
• Newsbearers - Heralds

10. How many are there?

• Too many to count!

Praise the Lord - Notes from Sermon 9/4/16

Praise the Lord
Pastor Keith Schadel
Sermon Scripture: Psalm 148:1-3

Why don't you raise your hands when you sing?
     God is not subject to your posture, so raise your hands if you want to, or don't it's up to you, you will not stifle the Spirit either way.

Why do we pray for God? Do we pray for God?

• If we are supposed to praise God is it not praying for God?
• Why do we praise God? If it's not for God then what is it for?
• God does not need anything from us!
• God is not subject to us, we are subject to God
• God does not need our praise.
• God does not need our fellowship, he desires it.
• God's love is selfless and in order for it to be expressed we were created.
• When God says for us to praise Him, it's for our benefit
• Only God is good.
• When we praise God it puts into perspective for us, God's goodness and things eternal. The really real.
• If the only healing you are praying for is for the body, "None of us are getting out of here alive."
• When we praise God we get to know God better.
• Part of our job when we witness is to introduce people to God. How do we do that if we don't know anything about God.
• The more we know about God. The more we want to know.
• God said, "Let's make man in our image." How can we grow into the image of God if we know nothing about God.
• The more we know about the image of God, the more we understand God's will for us.
• How do we get to know God?
• Study Scripture
• Study the stories of other's relationships with God.
• There are people in this church you can learn from, by learning their story.
• Prayer.
• If you include praise into every prayer you will gain a deeper understanding of God.
• All of creation is meant to praise God.