Year: 2015

God’s Providence: For His Name’s Sake

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HPBC Elder: Paul Davies

– Scripture: Selected Scriptures

– No matter what the circumstances in one’s life, the Christian can rest assured that God is completely in control of all things at all times. Nothing happens outside of what he has ordained. This divine providence is present all throughout Scripture where the Lord’s will is perfectly executed, even during what appears on the surface to be inopportune circumstances.

Altogether Unusual

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Pastor Matt Tarr

– Scripture: Mark 3:13-19

– When Christ calls together and appoints the twelve apostles, He does something miraculous. This is a highly unusual group of men that have no business being together, and even less business serving the Lord. However, in this act, Christ demonstrates His divine election which can be applied to the life of every believer throughout history whom God has called forth out of iniquity, creating a universal church of men and women who are in no way deserving, but are appointed nonetheless by God’s sovereignty.

– Add. Ref.: John 6:44; Romans 9: 10, 16, 20-21; Ezekiel 34:1-18

A Life Summarized

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Pastor Matt Tarr

– Scripture: Mark 3:7-12

– Continuing through the third chapter in the Gospel of Mark, we see the author step back from the narrative and provide a summarized look at Christ’s ministry in Galilee, which also serves to summarize the life of Christ as well. And it is here that we see the true scope of Christ’s influence in the world at that time, as people come from far and wide to see Him, but not for the right reasons.

Sabbath Controversies: Cause for Conspiracy

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Pastor Matt Tarr

– Scripture: Mark 3:1-6

– The Pharisees were at their wits end with regard to Jesus’s ministry, and would begin to look for any means by which they could charge Him and rid themselves of Him. When Christ heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, the Pharisees care nothing for the implications of Christ’s words or works, but are consumed by their desire to catch Him in error. It is here that mere men attempt to put the Son of God on trial, only to be put on trial themselves. This encounter is the final offense for the priests and scribes, and the catalyst for their plot to kill Him.

– Add. Ref.: Psalm 7:11; Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11

Sabbath Controversies: Something to See Here

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Pastor Matt Tarr

– Scripture: Mark 2:23-28

– As Jesus’s ministry continued, opposition to His teaching grew amongst the scribes and Pharisees. They would seek any means to catch Him in error, even accusing Him of breaking non-inspired laws on the Sabbath. Christ, however, is Lord of the Sabbath, and in proclaiming this He makes yet another bold proclamation of His deity.

– Add. Ref.: 1 Samuel 21:1-6; 22:6-20; Hebrews 4:1-3, 9-10, 11

Be Warned, for He is Risen

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Pastor Matt Tarr

– Scripture: Acts 13:26-41

– Easter Sunday 2015

– The resurrection of the Lord Jesus carries with it great joy for those who believe, for His resurrection is our hope. However, for the one who does not believe, Christ being raised from the dead carries with it a grave warning, for the time will come when He returns not as a sacrifice, but as a conqueror. The unbeliever then is urged, be reconciled to God and share in the joy of salvation offered through Christ alone.

– Add. Ref.: Genesis 15:8-21; Psalm 2:2-7, 9-12

Let the Word Be Preached

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Pastor Matt Tarr

– Scripture: Selected Scriptures

– Pulpit Sunday

– In today’s day and age, the mainstream church has made an increasing effort to do away with the pulpit and take emphasis off of preaching. However, God has commanded that His Word be proclaimed, and has ordained preaching as the method by which the flock of God is fed. To not preach is to starve the sheep. And on this day, as our church celebrates the inauguration of a brand new pulpit, the focus is entirely transfixed on the Word and preaching.

A Gospel-Filled Mourning

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Pastor Matt Tarr

– Scripture: Mark 2:18-22

– When the Pharisees demanded to know of Christ why He and His disciples were not fasting in accordance with the Jewish tradition, they were answered with a declaration of Jesus’s deity, and a proclamation that He had come to establish a New Covenant over which the Old Covenant had no bearing. Jesus transcended man-made rules and traditions, and was offering a Kingdom which was not attained by following rules, but by faith alone in the One Who fulfilled the Law.

A Mockery of Grace

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Pastor Matt Tarr

– Scripture: Mark 2:13-17

– God’s grace truly is a miraculous thing, especially considering our fallen, wretched state. Only God can forgive us, because it is against God Whom we rebel when we sin, and yet He does so without any requirement, only that we have faith. And yet, there are those who, being righteous in their own sight, would seek to mock this incomparable gift the Lord has given us through Christ.

The Authority to Forgive

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Pastor Matt Tarr

– Scripture: Mark 2:1-12

– What is mankind’s greatest need? This sermon focuses primarily on this question. The world system has made every attempt to determine the answer through psychology and other means, but their conclusions are hardly biblical. As Christ heals the paralytic in the Gospel of Mark, we come to understand that humanity’s greatest need is not good health, success, or even self-esteem; it’s the forgiveness of sins. Mankind needs salvation. It is a need that only Christ can fulfill, because He is God. But the fix is one that draws nothing but the ire of worldly men.