SUNDAY NOTES 8.30.26
Today’s Setlist:
Christ is Enough
Narrow Way
One Thing Remains
Oil and Offering
Did you make a decision? Do you have a prayer request? Follow the link below!
SERMON NOTES
A TALE OF TWO KINGS
“Spears and Caves”
1 Samuel 8:5-12
Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the troops, and Saul’s officers as well. When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David. The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully on Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand11 and he hurled it, saying to himself, “I’ll pin David to the wall.” But David eluded him twice. Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from Saul.
Every One of Us Will Eventually Be Handed a Spear
The Cave Revealed David’s Heart More Than Saul’s Weakness
Evil Wants To Reproduce Itself
Refusing Revenge Is Only the Beginning
Leave the Judgment Seat to God
After sunday…
FOR DEEPER STUDY OR DISCUSSION
Explore These Scriptures
Romans 12:17–21 — Paul tells us not to repay evil for evil or take revenge, but to overcome evil with good. Consider how David models this when Saul’s hatred gives him every justification to retaliate.
1 Peter 2:21–23 — Jesus was insulted and mistreated, yet He did not retaliate. Instead, He “entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” Compare Jesus’ response with David’s refusal to take Saul’s life.
Genesis 50:15–21 — Joseph had both the opportunity and the power to punish the brothers who wounded him. Instead, he recognized that God was able to accomplish His purposes even through what others intended for evil.
Heart Questions
What spear are you tempted to throw back? Who has hurt, rejected, betrayed, criticized, or mistreated you—and what would retaliation look like for you, even if it is subtle?
Has someone else’s sin begun reproducing itself in you? Consider whether another person’s anger has made you angry, their bitterness has made you bitter, or their attempts to control you have made you controlling. What would it look like to refuse to become what wounded you?
Have you truly surrendered the judgment seat to God? Is there someone you have stopped actively retaliating against but still secretly want to see punished, exposed, embarrassed, or brought down? Ask God what it would mean to entrust justice fully to Him.
Prayer
Father, when I am handed a spear, give me the strength not to throw it back. Guard my heart from allowing the sins of others to reproduce themselves in me. When I have the opportunity to retaliate, remind me that You are the righteous Judge and I do not need to take Your seat. Teach me to forgive as I have been forgiven, to trust Your timing, and to overcome evil with good. Make my heart more like Jesus, even when I have been deeply wounded. Amen.
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SUNDAY NOTES 8.23.26
Today’s Setlist:
Thank God I’m Free
What A God
How Great THou Art
Oil & Offering
Did you make a decision? Do you have a prayer request? Follow the link below!
SERMON NOTES
A TALE OF TWO KINGS
“God Looks at the Heart”
1 Samuel 16:1
The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
1 Samuel 16:6–7
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7b
People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.
WE SPEND SO MUCH ENERGY MANAGING WHAT PEOPLE CAN SEE WHILE GOD IS LOOKING AT WHAT THEY CAN’T.
1 Samuel 16:11
So he asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’ ‘There is still the youngest,’ Jesse answered. ‘He is tending the sheep.’ Samuel said, ‘Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.’
1 Samuel 16:12–13
Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David.
After sunday…
FOR DEEPER STUDY OR DISCUSSION
Explore These Scriptures
Psalm 139:1–4, 23–24 — David invites God to search his heart, reveal what is hidden, and lead him in the right way.
Proverbs 4:23 — “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Consider how our private inner life eventually shapes our public life.
Matthew 6:1–6 — Jesus warns against practicing righteousness simply to be seen by others and points us toward a faithfulness that seeks the Father’s approval rather than people’s applause.
Luke 16:15 — Jesus reminds us that what people highly value is not always what God values. God knows our hearts even when appearances tell a different story.
Heart Questions
If God looked beneath everything other people see, what would He find in my heart right now? Are there motives, habits, attitudes, or compromises I have become good at hiding or ignoring?
Where am I most tempted to care more about appearing faithful than actually being faithful? What would it look like for the private me to more closely match the public me?
Am I being faithful in the “pasture” God has me in right now? Where might God be using an unseen or ordinary season to shape my character and prepare me for what is ahead?
Prayer
Father, You see me completely. You know what others see, and You know everything beneath the surface. Search my heart and reveal anything in me that does not honor You. Forgive me for the places where I have cared more about appearances than obedience. Make the private me match the public me. Give me a heart that desires Your approval more than the applause of people, and teach me to be faithful even when nobody is watching. When I feel overlooked, remind me that I am never unseen by You. Use every hidden season to shape my character and prepare me for whatever You have ahead. Above everything else, make my heart fully Yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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SUNDAY NOTES 8.16.26
Today’s Setlist:
I know a Name
Behold Him
The wonderful blood
At the altar
Did you make a decision? Do you have a prayer request? Follow the link below!
SERMON NOTES
A TALE OF TWO KINGS
“The Price of Pride”
1 Samuel 15:2–3
This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’”
Exodus 17:14
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.”
Deuteronomy 25:17–18
Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God.
WILL I TRUST GOD ONLY WHEN I UNDERSTAND HIM?
1 Samuel 15:7–9
Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt. He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. 9 But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs—everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.
PRIDE SETS THE TERMS
SELECTIVE OBEDIENCE IS STILL DISOBEDIENCE
PRIDE JUSTIFIES WHAT IT WANTS
1 Samuel 15:13–15
When Samuel reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.” But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?” Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.”
1 Samuel 15:16
“Enough!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.”
1 Samuel 15:22
“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice.”
WHAT IS STILL BLEATING IN YOUR LIFE?
PRIDE PROTECTS ITS IMAGE
1 Samuel 15:24
“I have sinned. I violated the LORD’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them.”
1 Samuel 15:30
“I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel.”
WHO IS KING?
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SUNDAY NOTES 8.9.26
Today’s Setlist:
The Joy
Narrow Way
One Thing Remains
Good Plans/Doxology
Did you make a decision? Do you have a prayer request? Follow the link below!
SERMON NOTES
A TALE OF TWO KINGS
“When Fear Takes Over”
1 Samuel 8:19–20
No! We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.
NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER
1 Samuel 9:1–2
1 There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish… 2 Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else.
FEAR CAN OFTEN LOOK REMARKABLY IMPRESSIVE.
WEARING A CLOAK OF CONFIDENCE.
1 Samuel 10:20–24
When Samuel had all Israel come forward by tribes, the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. Then he brought forward the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan, and Matri’s clan was taken. Finally Saul son of Kish was taken. But when they looked for him, he was not to be found. So they inquired further of the Lord, “Has the man come here yet?”
And the Lord said, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the supplies.” They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others. Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.”
PRESSURE DOESN’T CREATE CHARACTER.
IT REVEALS WHAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE
1 Samuel 13:8–12
He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. “What have you done?” asked Samuel. Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”
EVERY ACT OF DISOBEDIENCE BEGINS WITH A FAILURE TO TRUST GOD’S CHARACTER
1 Samuel 13:13–14
“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
The spirit of Saul is fundamentally the spirit of self-preservation.
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SUNDAY NOTES 8.2.26
Today’s Setlist:
Thank God I’m Free
What A God
Narrow Way
I surrender ALL
Center
SERMON NOTES
A TALE OF TWO KINGS
“GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT”
Judges 21:25 ESV
"In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes."
1 Samuel 8:5–9
They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have." But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights."
I WANT WHAT I WANT
I WANT WHAT THEY HAVE
1 Samuel 8:18–22
When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day. But the people refused to listen to Samuel.
"No!" they said. "We want a king over us." "Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord. The Lord answered, "Listen to them and give them a king."
GOD GIVES US WHAT WE WANT
Romans 1:24, 26, 28
God gave them over to their sinful desires. He gave them over to shameful lust. God gave them over to a depraved mind.
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SUNDAY NOTES 7.26.26
Today’s Setlist:
I Know A Name
What A God
How Great is Your Name
Bigger Than I Thought
SERMON NOTES
Habakkuk week 3
“Defiant Faith”
Trusting God even when your circumstances give you every reason not to.
Habakkuk 3:2
Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.
Our prayers become worship when our focus shifts from our circumstances to God’s character.
When your view of God gets bigger, your circumstances get smaller. Not because they become insignificant, but because they’re no longer ultimate.
Habakkuk 3:16
I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us.
I AM NOT OKAY
Habakkuk 3:17-18
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
Habakkuk 3:19
The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.
SUNDAY NOTES 7.19.26
Today’s Setlist:
Thank God I’m Free
Behold Him
The Wonderful Blood
Good Plans
SERMON NOTES
Habakkuk week 3
“Waiting on God”
Habakuk 2:1
I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.
POSITION YOURSELF PROPERLY:
“He positions himself where he is most likely to hear from God.”
Habakkuk 2:2-4
Then the Lord replied: 'Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness.'
TRUST HIS TIMING
WORK YOUR WAIT
Habakkuk 2:4
See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness.
The righteous live by faith.
Babylon lives by pride.
Habakkuk 2:20
The Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.
SUNDAY NOTES 7.12.26
Today’s Setlist:
Take You At Your Word
Rest on Us
Fall Like Rain
Center
SERMON NOTES
Habakkuk week 2
“God is Working in the Chaos”
Verses We Love (Out of Context)
Matt 18:20:
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Matt 28:20:
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Philippians 4:13:
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
John 16:33
In this world you will have trouble
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well
Matthew 6:19
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Habakkuk 1:5-11
“Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own. They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor. Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves at dusk. Their cavalry gallops headlong; their horsemen come from afar. They fly like an eagle swooping to devour; they all come intent on violence. Their hordes advance like a desert wind and gather prisoners like sand. They mock kings and scoff at rulers. They laugh at all fortified cities; by building earthen ramps they capture them. Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”
Habakkuk 1:12-17
Lord, are you not from everlasting? My God, my Holy One, you will never die. You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment; you have ordained them to punish. Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, and you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? You have made people like the fish in the sea, like the sea creatures that have no ruler. The wicked foe pulls them up with hooks, catches them in his net, and gathers them in his dragnet. Therefore he sacrifices to his net and burns incense to his dragnet, for by his net he lives in luxury and enjoys the choicest food. Is he to keep on emptying his net, destroying nations without mercy?
Habakkuk 2:1
I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.
The World Is More Broken Than We Often Realize
Habakkuk laments real violence, real injustice
Sin and evil are universal — Romans 3:23.
God never rebukes him for the complaint. Noticing evil isn't the problem.
God Is Always Working, Even When His Work Confuses Us
God's answer: Babylon. Not judgment on the wicked out there but judgment that starts at home.
Habakkuk assumed God should judge their evil before His own people's evil.
"We all want justice...
until justice points in our direction."
Faith Waits When
Understanding Cannot
"Faith isn't formed after God explains everything.
Faith is formed while you're waiting for the explanation."
SUNDAY NOTES 7.5.26
Today’s Setlist:
Thank God I’m Free
Christ is enough
How Great THou Art
At the altar
SERMON NOTES
Habakkuk week 1
“Wrestle, Don’t Run”
Habakkuk 1:1-4
The prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received. How long LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry to you, “Violence!” But you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.
Prayer isn't presenting a polished version of yourself; it's bringing the real condition of your heart into His presence.
Habakkuk 1:5
“Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.
Habakkuk 1:6-7
I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own. They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor.
SUNDAY NOTES 6.28.26
Today’s Setlist:
ThE Joy
Holy SPirit
Who Else
Good Plans/Doxology
SERMON NOTES
Daniel Week 7
“Hope That Endures”
HOPE SEES BEYOND PRESENT SUFFERING
Daniel 12:1-4
“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”
Our hope is not found in escaping hardship, but in belonging to God.
“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.”
HOPE KEEPS GOING
Daniel 12:5-9
Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?" The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, "It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed." I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?" He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end."
Faith is not having every answer. Faith is trusting the One who does.
"Go your way, Daniel."
Daniel 12:13
As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.
SUNDAY NOTES 6.21.26
Today’s Setlist:
I Know A Name
Fall Like Rain
The Wonderful Blood
Do It Again
SERMON NOTES
Daniel Week 6
“The Lion’s Den”
Bold Faith in the Public Space
Daniel 5:29-31
Then at Belshazzar's command, Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom. That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom, at the age of sixty-two.
Daniel 6:1-3
It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
BOLD FAITH PRODUCES CHARACTER
Daniel 6:4
At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.
BOLD FAITH WELCOMES ENEMIES
Daniel 6:5-9
Finally these men said, 'We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.' So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: 'May King Darius live forever! The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions' den. Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered-in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” So King Dairus put the decree in writing.
Daniel 6:10
Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
BOLD FAITH DOESN’T CONFORM TO THE PATTERN OF THE WORLD
BOLD FAITH STARTS IN PRIVATE PLACES BEFORE ITS REVEALED IN PUBLIC SPACES
Daniel 6:11-14
"Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: 'Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions' den?'"
BOLD FAITH TRUSTS GOD WITH THE OUTCOME
Daniel 6:16
"So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, 'May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!'"
THE TRAP THEY SET BECAME THE TRAP THAT LED TO THEIR DEMISE
SUNDAY NOTES 6.14.26
Today’s Setlist:
Christ Is Enough
Behold Him
How Great Thou Art
Center
Worthy
SERMON NOTES
Daniel Week 5
“The Unseen Battle”
David reigns 1000 BC
Solomon builds Temple 960 BC
Kingdom splits (Israel / Judah) 930 BC
Assyria destroys Israel 722 BC
Jeremiah begins prophesying 627 BC
Babylon attacks Judah 605 BC ← Daniel taken
Babylon attacks again 597 BC
Jerusalem destroyed 586 BC
Persia defeats Babylon 539 BC
Babylon Falls, Jews return 538 BC
Daniel survives into Persian rule 536 BC
Faithfulness doesn’t exempt us from waiting.
Daniel 10:5-9
I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. His body looked like a precious gem. His face flashed like lightning, and his eyes flamed like torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and his voice roared like a vast multitude of people. Only I, Daniel, saw this vision. The men with me saw nothing, but they were suddenly terrified and ran away to hide. So I was left there all alone to see this amazing vision. My strength left me, my face grew deathly pale, and I felt very weak. Then I heard the man speak, and when I heard the sound of his voice, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground.
Prayer is the most powerful weapon that the Lord gives us. When we pray, battles begin.
Daniel 10:10-11
Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees. And the man said to me, “Daniel, you are very precious to God, so listen carefully to what I have to say to you. Stand up, for I have been sent to you.” When he said this to me, I stood up, still trembling.
Daniel 10:12-14
Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come.”
Just because you can’t see God working, doesn’t mean He isn’t!
Daniel 10:15-19
While he was speaking to me, I looked down at the ground, unable to say a word. Then the one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing in front of me, “I am filled with anguish because of the vision I have seen, my lord, and I am very weak. How can someone like me, your servant, talk to you, my lord? My strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe.” Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning. “Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”
SUNDAY NOTES 6.7.26
Today’s Setlist:
Take You At Your Word
Rest on Us
How Great Is Your Name
Available
SERMON NOTES
Daniel Week 4
“Pride Turns Men Into Monsters”
PRIDE IGNORES WARNINGS
Daniel 4:19
Daniel answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries!
Daniel 4:22-27
Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth. “Your Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’ “This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”
One of God's greatest mercies is a warning.
Daniel 4:27b
…accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”
PRIDE TURNS MEN INTO MONSTERS
Daniel 4:25
You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.
PRIDE TAKES CREDIT FOR WHAT GOD BUILT
Daniel 4:29-30
Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”
Pride begins when we start taking credit for what God has done.
HUMILITY RESTORES WHAT PRIDE DESTROYS
Daniel 4:34-37
At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
Humility begins when we remember who the real King is.
SUNDAY NOTES 5.31.26
Today’s Setlist:
Christ is Enough
The Wonderful Blood
Center
Back to Life
SERMON NOTES
Daniel Week 3
“Conviction in the Fire”
Daniel 3:1
King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold…
Daniel 3:4-6
Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
Daniel 3:12
But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
An idol is anything you cannot say no to, or anything you are willing to sin to keep.
Daniel 3:13-15
Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
Daniel 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
“ONLY IF” vs “EVEN IF”
Daniel 3:19-23
Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
Daniel 3:24-27
Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
SUNDAY NOTES 5.24.26
Today’s Setlist:
The Joy
Who Else
AVAILABLE
AT The Altar
SERMON NOTES
Daniel Week 2
“God Reveals What We Cannot See”
Daniel 2:1-3
In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.”
POWER BUT NO PEACE
Daniel 2:10-12
The astrologers answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans.” This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon.
HUMAN WISDOM ALWAYS HAS LIMITS
Daniel 2:16-19
At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him. Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven
GOD IS THE REVEALER OF ALL TRUTH
Daniel 2:20-21
Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
Daniel 2:32-35
The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.
EARTHLY KINGDOMS BECOME DUST
THE STONE BECOMES THE MOUNTAIN
MAY 31ST is BAPTISM SUNDAY. if you have decided to follow jesus but have not taken this step, this day is for you.
SUNDAY NOTES 5.17.26
Today’s Setlist:
I Know A Name
Holy SPirit
Center
heart of Worship
Good Plans
SERMON NOTES
Daniel Week 1
“Conviction without Compromise”
David reigns 1000 BC
Solomon builds Temple 960 BC
Kingdom splits (Israel / Judah) 930 BC
Assyria destroys Israel 722 BC
Jeremiah begins prophesying 627 BC
Babylon attacks Judah 605 BC ← Daniel taken
Babylon attacks again 597 BC
Jerusalem destroyed 586 BC
Persia defeats Babylon 539 BC
Babylon Falls, Jews return 538 BC
Daniel survives into Persian rule 536 BC
Daniel 1:1, 3-5
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.
1 Peter 2:11-12
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Daniel 1:6-8
Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
Daniel 1:17-20
To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
BABYLON CAN HAVE OUR SERVICE,
BUT IT CAN’T HAVE OUR WORSHIP
Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
MAY 31ST is BAPTISM SUNDAY. if you have decided to follow jesus but have not taken this step, this day is for you.
SUNDAY NOTES 5.10.26
Today’s Setlist:
The Joy
How Great is Your Name
CEnter
SERMON NOTES
PHILIPPIANS Week 5
“Formation = Focus”
Philippians 4:4-9
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
FORMATION ISN’T ACCIDENTAL. IT’S INTENTIONAL.
YOUR LIFE MOVES IN THE DIRECTION OF YOUR FOCUS.
WHAT YOU FOCUS ON GROWS
Philippians 4:4–6
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Prayer is not simply informing God, it is also forming you.
WHAT YOU DWELL ON, YOU BECOME
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
WHAT YOU PRACTICE, YOU EXPERIENCE
Philippians 4:9
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
THE GOD OF PEACE WILL BE WITH YOU
MAY 31ST is BAPTISM SUNDAY. if you have decided to follow jesus but have not taken this step, this day is for you.
SUNDAY NOTES 5.3.26
Today’s Setlist:
Christ is enough
Behold him
The WOnderful Blood
Available
SERMON NOTES
PHILIPPIANS Week 4
“No Confidence in the Flesh”
Philippians 3:1-14
Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— 7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:2
Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.
Philippians 3:3
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh
NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH
Philippians 3:4-6
though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
Philippians 3:7-9
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
Philippians 3:13-14
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 4:3–4
I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
MAY 31ST is BAPTISM SUNDAY. if you have decided to follow jesus but have not taken this step, this day is for you.
SUNDAY NOTES 4.26.26
Today’s Setlist:
Christ is enough
Worthy
Good Plans
Back to Life
SERMON NOTES
PHILIPPIANS Week 3
“THE WAY IS JESUS”
Philippians 2:1-2
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.
Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Pride is what fractures the Church.
Humility is what binds it.
DOCTRINE DESTROYS DIVISION
Philippians 2:5-8
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
We want resurrection power without crucifixion.
We want the life of Jesus without the way of Jesus.
Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Whether you’re new or have been around for a while, this is a great opportunity to take a closer look at who we are and how to get connected.
At Vertical Up Close, you’ll meet our staff team, hear about our mission and vision, and explore next steps in spiritual growth, serving, and community. We’ll also share opportunities like discipleship groups, Bible studies, and what it looks like to become a partner of the church.
Our next Vertical Up Close is happening TODAY, April 26th, immediately following the second service. If you’ve been looking for a next step, this is a great place to start.
We’re grateful for all God is doing in and through our church and would love for you to be part of it.
MAY 31ST is BAPTISM SUNDAY. if you have decided to follow jesus but have not taken this step, this day is for you.
SUNDAY NOTES 4.19.26
Today’s Setlist:
THE JOY
HOLY SPIRIT
MORE THAN ABLE
AT THE ALTAR
SERMON NOTES
PHILIPPIANS Week 2
“WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL:
A FAITH THAT COSTS US SOMETHING”
Philippians 1:27–30
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Ephesisans 4:1-5
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
A life worthy of the Gospel
is active, not passive.
Matthew 20:26-28 26
It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Philippians 1:28
28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.
Isaiah 43: 1-2
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
Philippians 1:29-30
29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Romans 5:3-5
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Suffering is not evidence God is absent—
it’s often evidence He’s at work
Whether you’re new or have been around for a while, this is a great opportunity to take a closer look at who we are and how to get connected.
At Vertical Up Close, you’ll meet our staff team, hear about our mission and vision, and explore next steps in spiritual growth, serving, and community. We’ll also share opportunities like discipleship groups, Bible studies, and what it looks like to become a partner of the church.
Our next Vertical Up Close is happening Sunday, April 26th, immediately following the second service. If you’ve been looking for a next step, this is a great place to start.
We’re grateful for all God is doing in and through our church and would love for you to be part of it.