These are my sermon notes for Sunday morning, May 31. They’re not a full manuscript—just a listening guide to help our Tabernacle Church family to follow along. I encourage you to add your own notes as you listen each week. The service will be available on YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, our Prayer List, and more on our church website.

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Intro

• The Lord’s Supper reminds us what we have in Jesus Christ.
• Through His blood, Jesus established the New Covenant that forgives sinners, transforms hearts, and changes lives.
• The New Covenant is the new relationship God established through Jesus Christ, where sinners are forgiven, hearts are transformed, and believers are brought into fellowship with God.

I. The New Covenant Brings a New Relationship – Luke 22:20; Romans 5:1-11

• Romans 3:23; Romans 5:1-11; Hebrews 10:14–18
• Sin is humanity’s greatest problem. We have all broken God’s moral law.
• Our sin leaves us guilty before a holy God.
• Jesus’ blood secured complete forgiveness and reconciliation.
• The cross accomplished what sacrifices never could.

The New Covenant addresses our greatest problem… sin against a holy God.

II. The New Covenant Creates a New Heart – Jeremiah 31:33

• John 3:3; Ezekiel 36:26–27
• God gives His people a new heart.
• True conversion changes a person from the inside out.
• Jesus called this being “born again.”
• The Holy Spirit gives new desires and affections.
• Believers are not perfect, but they are different people.

The New Covenant does not simply improve people… it makes sinners new.

III. The New Covenant Produces a New Life – 2 Corinthians 5:15

• Romans 12:1–2; Titus 2:11–14; James 2:17; Matthew 28:19–20; Ephesians 2:10; Colossians 3:17
• The gospel changes not only who we are, but how we now live.
• Our lives are no longer our own.
• We now live under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
• The gospel reshapes our priorities and direction.
• We now live for His glory and His Kingdom.

Our New Calling

• Follow Christ
• Pursue holiness
• Serve others
• Love the church
• Make disciples
• Advance the gospel

The New Covenant produces a life increasingly shaped by the rule and reign of Christ.

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The What Now

• Because Christ has brought you into a new relationship with God, draw near to Him daily.
• Because Christ has given you a new heart, pursue holiness and obedience faithfully.
• Because Christ died and rose again for you, no longer live for yourself, but for Him.

My Bible study notes for Wednesday night, May 27. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.

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Mark 4:26–34

INTRO

• Jesus continues teaching about the Kingdom of God through parables.
• The previous parables emphasized hearing and responding to God’s Word.
• Now Jesus explains how the Kingdom grows and spreads.
• Though the Kingdom may appear small and slow, God is powerfully advancing it through the gospel.

The Kingdom of God is the rule and reign of God over His creation through Jesus Christ, advancing through the proclamation of the gospel, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and displayed through the life and mission of the church until Christ returns.

1. The Kingdom Advances by God’s Power — vv. 26–27

• The seed is sown.
• Growth happens beyond human ability.
• God gives the increase.
• The harvest is certain.
• We are called to faithfulness, not sovereignty.

2. The Kingdom Brings Growth — vv. 28–29

• Blade. Ear. Full grain.
• God matures His people progressively.
• Spiritual growth is often gradual, but it should be evident.

3. The Kingdom Seems Small (insignificant)— vv. 30–31

• The mustard seed appeared insignificant.
• Jesus’ ministry appeared small in the world’s eyes.
• God delights in using what seems weak and small.
• Never underestimate what God can do through simple faithfulness.

4. The Kingdom Expands Beyond Expectation — v. 32

• The small seed becomes large.
• The kingdom spreads outward.
• Others find refuge and blessing under its influence.
• The gospel always impacts more than we can see.

5. The Kingdom Reveals the Heart and Demands a Response — vv. 33–34

• Jesus taught in parables.
• Some listened casually.
• Others leaned in to understand.
• The disciples desired more truth.
• Kingdom truth exposes the condition of the heart.
• The kingdom of God does not merely inform people — it calls them to repent, believe, follow, and submit to Christ as King.

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The What Now

• Sow the Word faithfully.
• Trust God with the results.
• Stay patient in slow seasons.
• Keep pursuing growth.
• Live under the rule of Christ daily.

These are my sermon notes for Sunday morning, May 24. They’re not a full manuscript—just a listening guide to help our Tabernacle Church family to follow along. I encourage you to add your own notes as you listen each week. The service will be available on YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, our Prayer List, and more on our church website.

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1 Samuel 24:1-22

Intro

• David has already been anointed king, but Saul is still trying to kill him.
• David has been living under pressure in the wilderness while learning to trust the Lord.
• Now Saul unknowingly walks into the very cave where David is hiding.
• David suddenly has the opportunity to take matters into his own hands.
• The question is:
  • Will David trust God’s timing?
  • Or force the outcome himself?
• This chapter teaches us about: discernment, restraint, integrity, and trusting God in difficult moments.

Saul’s Pursuit – vv.1–3

Saul resumes his pursuit of David

• Saul goes right back to hunting David.
• Jealousy and fear now control Saul’s leadership.

God places Saul within David’s reach

• David is hiding in the caves of En-gedi.
• Saul unknowingly enters the very cave where David is hiding.

David’s Discernment – vv.4–7

David’s men see an opportunity

• They believe God has delivered Saul into David’s hand.
• Humanly speaking, the moment makes sense.
• The opportunity appears easy, logical, and justified.

David responds with conviction

• David cuts off part of Saul’s robe.
• Immediately, conviction strikes his heart.
• David refuses to dishonor the Lord’s anointed.
• David values obedience over ambition.
• David’s men saw an opportunity.
• David saw accountability before God.

(Spiritual discernment for today)

David’s Declaration – vv.8–15

David’s Humility

• David comes out of the cave respectfully.
• He bows before Saul.
• He speaks truth with humility and courage.

David’s Trust in God’s mercy and justice

• David shows him the piece of robe.
• David proves he never intended harm. David leaves justice with God
• David refuses personal revenge.
• David entrusts judgment to the Lord.
• God sees rightly and judges perfectly.

Saul’s Confession – vv.16–22

Saul is emotionally moved

• Saul weeps before David.
• He admits David is more righteous.
• He admits David will become king.
• Saul publicly acknowledges David’s character.

Saul professes truth…yet

• Saul shows emotion but not repentance.
• Conviction is not the same as transformation.

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THE WHAT NOW

• Stay close to the Lord when life feels uncertain.
• Trust God’s timing even when you cannot see the outcome.
• Passionately seek God’s will when making difficult decisions.
• Refuse to get ahead of God through fear, pressure, or compromise.

“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.”
— 2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV)

Life gets busy fast. It is easy to stay active and never really slow down long enough to evaluate where we are spiritually.

Paul tells believers to examine themselves.

Take a few minutes today and honestly ask:

• Am I spending time in God’s Word?
• Am I praying consistently?
• Am I growing spiritually?
• Am I pursuing Christ intentionally?
• Or am I just moving through routines?

Spiritual growth rarely happens by accident. Healthy habits, time in Scripture, prayer, repentance, and obedience all matter.

Christ not only saves us, He continues to shape and grow us over time.

Read 2 Corinthians 13:1-14 today and take time to examine your heart before the Lord.

Press on – Win the Day – Lead Well

My Bible study notes for Wednesday night, May 20. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.

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Mark 4:21-25

Intro

• Verses 21–25 follow the Parable of the Soils.
• Jesus shifts from the condition of the heart to the responsibility of the hearer.
• The truth of the gospel is not meant to be hidden but revealed.
• Jesus warns His disciples to pay careful attention to how they hear.
• Those who receive truth rightly will grow in understanding.
• Those who reject or neglect truth grow spiritually dull.
• Main idea: God’s Word demands a response.

1. Truth Is Meant to Be Revealed – vv. 21–22

• A lamp is meant to shine.
• God’s truth is not meant to stay hidden.
• Jesus reveals the truth of the kingdom.
• True disciples are called to walk in the light.
• Truth received should become truth lived.

2. Truth Is Meant to Be Heard Carefully – v. 23

• “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
• Spiritual hearing requires humility and attentiveness.
• Hearing is more than listening.
• It involves receiving and responding.
• Careless hearing leads to spiritual dullness.

3. Truth Is Meant to Shape Our Lives – vv. 24–25

• “Pay attention to what you hear.”
• God holds people responsible for revealed truth.
• “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
• The way we receive truth affects our spiritual growth.
• Obedience leads to greater understanding.
• Neglect leads to greater hardness.
• What we do with truth impacts our walk with Christ.

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The What Now

• Truth is not merely information to hear and agree with.
• Truth must be received into both the mind and the heart.
• God’s truth is meant to shape how we think, live, and follow Christ.
• A person can hear truth regularly and still remain spiritually unchanged.
• Jesus calls us to listen carefully, receive truth humbly, and obey truth faithfully.

Hear it – Receive it – Obey it – Live it.

These are my sermon notes for Sunday morning, May 17. They’re not a full manuscript—just a listening guide to help our Tabernacle Church family to follow along. I encourage you to add your own notes as you listen each week. The service will be available on YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, our Prayer List, and more on our church website.

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1 Samuel 23:15–29

Intro

• David has obeyed the Lord, but the pressure has not disappeared.
• Saul is still pursuing him. David is still in the wilderness.
• Betrayal is increasing, fear is rising, and isolation is growing. Yet God is still sustaining His servant.
• The Christian life is not simply about starting faithfully. It is about remaining steady under pressure.

Strengthen Yourself in the Lord – vv. 15-18

• David is in the wilderness, but he is not outside God’s care.
• Jonathan comes to David and strengthens him in God by reminding him of God’s promise.
• Saul is not sovereign. God is. God’s Word is greater than present danger.
• Strengthen yourself with what God has already said. Stay in the Word and surround yourself with people who point you back to the Lord.

Strengthening Yourself in the Lord Today

1. Strengthened by God’s Word

• Jonathan reminded David of what God had promised.
• Today, we strengthen ourselves through Scripture.
• Read it. Write it down. Meditate on it. Preach it to yourself.
• Romans 15:4; Psalm 119:105; Joshua 1:8

2. Strengthened by Godly People

• David needed Jonathan.
• We need people who speak truth and point us back to God.
• We also need to be that kind of friend to others.
• Hebrews 3:13; Proverbs 27:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:11

3. Strengthened by Christ’s Presence

• Jonathan could only stay for a moment.
• Christ is with us always, in us by His Spirit, and interceding for us.
• He never leaves or forsakes His people.
• Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5; Romans 8:34; Colossians 1:27

Trust God’s Sovereign Hand – vv. 19-28

• The Ziphites betray David to Saul, and Saul uses spiritual language while resisting God’s will.
• David is pushed deeper into the wilderness, yet God’s hand is still ruling over every detail.
• God preserves David through ordinary circumstances when Saul is called away by the Philistine raid.
• Trust God’s sovereign hand when people disappoint you, circumstances tighten, and the way forward feels unclear.

Keep Moving Forward by Faith – v. 29

• David is preserved by the providence of God.
• The wilderness journey continues, but David keeps going.
• God’s will will be done. His hand will guide. His people can keep pressing on in faith.
• Keep walking by faith. Keep obeying. Keep pressing on.

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The What Now

• Do not drift from the Lord when pressure mounts.
• Strengthen yourself with what God has already said.
• Trust His sovereign hand when people disappoint you and circumstances tighten.
• Keep walking by faith, even when the wilderness continues.
• God may not remove the pressure right away, but He will sustain His people.

Nobody drifts into holiness.

We naturally drift toward comfort, distraction, compromise, and spiritual complacency. Spiritual maturity does not happen accidentally. Godliness requires intentional pursuit.

“Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.”
— 1 Timothy 4:7 (ESV)

The Christian life is not sustained by occasional motivation, but by consistent faithfulness.

This discipline is not about earning God’s favor. In Christ, believers are already accepted by grace through faith. But grace does not cause spiritual laziness. Grace produces pursuit. Because we belong to Christ, we now seek to grow in holiness and obedience.

Daily Faithfulness Matters

Daily habits matter more than we often realize.

• Daily time in the Word matters.
• Daily prayer matters.
• Daily repentance matters.
• Daily obedience matters.

What we repeatedly give ourselves to will eventually shape our hearts, minds, desires, and direction. Spiritual drift rarely happens all at once. It usually happens gradually and quietly over time.

The Danger of Spiritual Drift

Hebrews warns about “the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13).

Sin lies to us. It convinces us that compromise is harmless and spiritual neglect is temporary. But unchecked sin dulls conviction, weakens spiritual desire, and pulls the heart away from close fellowship with God.

No believer becomes spiritually strong by accident.

Godliness is cultivated through ordinary faithfulness over long periods of time.

Much of the Christian life is built in the quiet places nobody else sees:

• Opening your Bible when you feel tired
• Praying when you feel distracted
• Confessing sin quickly instead of excusing it
• Remaining faithful in church life
• Choosing obedience when compromise would be easier

Most Spiritual Growth Is Slow Growth

We often want immediate change and visible results, but God frequently grows His people through steady, daily obedience.

A believer may not notice dramatic change week to week, but over time spiritual maturity deepens. God uses ordinary faithfulness to shape His people into the image of Christ.

This matters even more in a distracted culture. Entertainment, busyness, and endless distractions can slowly weaken spiritual focus. Discipline helps reorient our hearts toward what matters most.

The goal is not perfection. Believers still battle the flesh and struggle with sin. But true believers continue pursuing Christ with repentance, dependence, and perseverance.

Final Encouragement

• Fight spiritual drift early.
• Guard your heart carefully.
• Pursue holiness intentionally.
• Stay faithful in the ordinary days.

God often does His deepest work through quiet, consistent obedience long before visible fruit appears.

Press on.

Faithfulness matters.

My Bible study notes for Wednesday night, May 13. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.

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In the Parable of the Soils, Jesus teaches that the condition of the heart determines how people respond to God’s Word.

• Is my heart soft and responsive to God’s Word?
• Have I become comfortable with tolerated sin?
• Is there ongoing fruit of repentance in my life?
• Am I fighting sin or excusing it?

Tolerated Sin Is Dangerous

Sin deceives, hardens, and grows when it is excused.

• Hebrews 3:13; Mark 4:18–19; Ephesians 4:18–19
• Sin rarely appears dangerous at first.
• The danger is not only committing sin, but becoming comfortable with it.
• What we tolerate today can harden our heart tomorrow.
• “Respectable sins” are still offensive before a holy God.
• A tender conscience is a gift from God.

What sins are easiest for people to excuse today?

Confession Brings Sin into the Light

Confession agrees with God and runs to grace.

• 1 John 1:9; Psalm 32:5; Proverbs 28:13
• Confession is not informing God.
• Confession means honestly agreeing with God about sin.
• Confession refuses excuses and blame shifting.
• The gospel gives believers confidence to come honestly before God.
• Hidden sin grows in darkness.

Repentance Turns from Sin to God

Repentance is not regret only. It is turning back to Christ.

• 2 Corinthians 7:10; Acts 3:19; Luke 15:17–20
• Regret hates consequences. Repentance hates sin itself.
• Repentance involves a change of direction.
• Repentance is evidence of God’s ongoing work in the heart.
• Fruitful soil produces ongoing repentance.

What is the difference between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow?

Sanctification Requires Spirit-Filled Effort

We fight sin by grace, through the Spirit, with real obedience.

• Philippians 2:12–13; Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:16
• Sanctification is not passive. WORK AT IT
• Believers are called to pursue holiness actively.
• God works in us as we walk in obedience.
• The Spirit empowers believers to fight sin.
• Christian growth requires devotion, dependence, discipline, and diligence

Sanctification is not opposed to effort. It is opposed to self-reliance.

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The What Now

• Do not tolerate sin.
• Confess sin honestly and quickly.
• Repent daily and turn to Christ.
• Walk dependently upon the Spirit.
• Keep your heart tender before God’s Word.
• Faithful/Receptive hearts receive the Word, repent quickly, and bear lasting fruit.