Harris Creek Baptist Church

Do you ever feel like your life is busy? What causes it to be that way? As we start a new series, The Seven Sins of Suburbia, JP addresses the sin of busyness by examining Mary and Martha in Luke 10.KEY TAKEAWAYS-Busyness is the enemy of encouragement.-What all could you put in the blank: Busyness is the enemy of ________.-Here’s a secret: you will always have a lot to do. There will always be more to do than you have time for.-How much do you like yourself and your life when you are busy?-Jesus had friends. Have you ever considered that?-Minister or ministry simply means to render aid to those in need. All Christian’s, regardless of where they work and get a paycheck, are called to ministry.-Busyness is the enemy of focus.-What is the work that only you can do? What are the things that only you can do?-Don’t let the many things distract you from the one thing.-You are the only one who is in charge of your relationship with Jesus.-Busyness breeds a victim mentality. You are either for me or against me when I’m busy.-Busyness is the enemy of empathy.-People become distractions to your list of things to do when you are busy.-Nobody cares how busy you are. No one.-This is not an admonition to single moms. If you are a single mom, we are here for you! Let us know how we can help and serve you.-The world will not crumble if you slow down and stop.-Busyness is the enemy of peace and joy.-The greatest antidote to “What if…” is to answer the question.-If busy frustrates you, you have set yourself up for a life of frustration.-When something comes at you that you didn’t expect, margin is a great thing. But more than margin, prioritization will help you more.-There are things that won’t get done. Choose them carefully.-“I have so much to do today that I will spend three hours in prayer in order to get it all done.” -Martin Luther-If you want to see your kids go to an Ivy League school or play professional sports, but you don’t disciple them or teach them the Bible, that is a really, really bad trade.-What you say no to will tell other people what is most important to you. People will remember what you say no to.-Three of the big rocks we want you to prioritize at Harris Creek are attending corporate worship, serving, and meeting consistently with your Life Group.-What are your personal big rocks? Your non-negotiables in life?MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture study: Luke 10:38-42

Do you have anything that you’ve taken with you from year to year and life stage to life stage? What about from 2021 to 2022…what have you brought with you from one year to the next? As we kick of a new calendar year, Scott Kedersha teaches us how Christians change and grow, teaching through Ephesians 4:17-24.KEY TAKEAWAYS-Stop walking like a non-believer.-Where in your life are you living like a non-believer? Confess this to your life group and ask them to help you change.-Do you know about Jesus, or do you know Jesus?-Is your life marked by a trajectory that looks more and more like Jesus?-Put off the old.-Don’t just make small changes here and there. Completely forsake and repent from anything in your life that doesn’t look like Jesus.-What do you need to put off: pride, greed, lust, grumbling, gossip, selfishness, something else?-To be abundantly clear, putting off your old self isn’t about behavior management or modification. It’s not about earning God’s favor. It’s about responding to the truth of the gospel.-Renew your mind.-The way you think determines how you live.-What do you feed your mind with?-Put on the new.-What do you need to put on: humility, generosity, self-control, gratitude, encouragement, service?MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture study: Ephesians 4:17-24, 2:1, 5:2, 5:8, 5:15; Hebrews 12:1-2; Philippians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 10:5; Romans 12:2; Colossians 3:12-14-Ministry: re:generation. Learn more by going to harriscreek.org/events.-Resource: biblereadingplan.org

When things disrupt your life, how are you prone to respond? What comes out of you when you are squeezed? As we continue our series, a Critical Christmas, Rich Bartel teaches us about the story of Mary and how she responded when God disrupted her life.KEY TAKEAWAYS-When God comes in and disrupts your life, how do you respond?-Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a simple, ordinary woman in need of a savior just like us.-Humility isn’t self-denigration, but rather an honest self-appraisal. -Mary responds with humility.-Mary acknowledged who her Master was and she humbly and gladly responded to His plan for her life.-Mary was submitted to God’s Word.-Mary embodied the truths Scripture calls us to live by.-You will never meet a mature, kind, discerning, wise, and loving Christian who hasn’t spent time reading, knowing, and meditating on God’s Word.-Mary responds with worship.-Life isn’t a matter of trying to not be shaken, but rather, what comes out of you when you are shaken.-Make no mistake: if you are a Christian, God will disrupt your life. How will you respond when He does?MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture study: Luke 1:28-56; Psalm 34:2; Isaiah 45:21; 1 Samuel 1:11; Psalm 126:3; Psalm 111:9-Sermon: God’s Promise to Zechariah

Have you ever been let down before? Had someone say they’d do something and then they didn’t do it? As we start a new sermon series, a Critical Christmas, Nate Hilgenkamp teaches through Luke 1:10-20 and examines the story of Zechariah, answering the question of whether or not God can be trusted. KEY TAKEAWAYS-God makes promises to His people.-God often talks about what He will do in the future, which requires a specific response from us: faith.-What circumstance causes you to doubt and question God the most?-God’s people often question God’s promises.-Do you struggle to trust God with your future because you’ve forgotten what He’s done in the past because you are so consumed with your present circumstances?-God fulfills His promises.-This is how we often question God: “How because I am _______?”-The answer to Moses’ and Zechariah’s question is the same answer to our questions: God is. He is who He says He is. -God does what He promises.-There are over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament that come true during Jesus’ time on earth. Multiple of which were completely out of His control.-We have more in common with Zechariah than we think.-As Christians, we are waiting for Christ to return. Are you ready for it?-The story of Christmas tells us that God can be trusted. MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture study: Luke 1:10-20; Malachi 4:5-6; Philippians 4:19; John 4:14, 14:2-3; Hebrews 11:1; Genesis 17:15-17; Exodus 3:11-14; Revelation 19:6-9

Have you ever crossed the finish line in a race before? Or, what about crossing a starting line to begin a race? As 2021 comes to a close, JP looks back as we cross one finish line and looks ahead to what God has in store as we start a new race in the days ahead.KEY TAKEAWAYS-We refuse to make “the deal” with you: show up, pay up, and sit quietly as we entertain you and don’t ask too much of you.-We are committed to complete transparency with you. We will err on the side of telling you too much too soon.-We try every week to tear down the proverbial curtain between church members and church staff. We are a kingdom of priests, each and every one of us (not just the church staff).-At the end of 2018, we refinanced the loan on our property. It was a $6.1 million loan. We had a goal of raising $7 million in 7-years.-On average, we take in 25% of our annual budget in the month of December.-As of Wednesday, December 1, 2021, we are debt free!-We are committed to putting to death perception management. It’s one of the great evils within the church, and especially in America.-In 2021, 43% of covenant members gave to the mission of Harris Creek.-Your spiritual growth and your generosity will be aligned.-In 2021, 1 in 10 undergraduate students at Baylor were in a Harris Creek Life Group.-The Becoming Something podcast was listened to over 1.5 million times in 2021.-161 people were baptized in 2021.-As we finish our journey of paying off our debt, we are ready to begin a new journey. Debt is not sinful, but it is limiting.-There are 1,181 kids in the foster system in McLennan county. This is symptomatic of the church not being the church.-We are going to build a house to help house foster children who are sleeping in CPS offices.-In the days ahead we want to plant churches, reach the nations, and continue helping everyone follow Jesus by engaging the lost, equipping the saints, and empowering members for service.-We simply want to make disciples. That’s it.-Let’s not make the mistake by forsaking our first love like Ephesus did. Let’s finish well. Let’s pray God would increase our faith and that we’d love Him more at the end of today than we did when we woke up.

What does it mean to fear God? Christians are commanded to do so all throughout the Scriptures. As we finish our series studying the book of Ecclesiastes, JP teaches us what it means to fear God.KEY TAKEAWAYS-We are all moving toward death. You are older now than when you read the sentence before this.-Fear and follow God before your body fails.-You can and should take care of your body, but you are going to die.-Form your theology before your decline.-Don’t buy into a false theology that God is not loving and kind because we are commanded to fear Him.-Read other books, but only in addition to the Bible, not as a supplement to the Bible.-Fear and follow God by holding firmly to His Word.-There are so many distractions in this world that the enemy uses to pull you off track.-Your quiet time is not a means to please God. It’s a method of survival to fight against an enemy that is seeking to steal, kill, and destroy you.-If you are not regularly reading the Bible you are backsliding.-Why would God make known to us His mysterious will when we are clearly disobeying and overlooking His revealed will?-Fearing God and following Him means living by faith.-Is your life marked by acts of faith? Things you did that if God didn’t show up you’d be considered foolish and a failure?-Every sin you’ve ever committed is against God.-If someone can come back from the dead after being tortured and crucified, you should fear them. If they were tortured and killed and came back from the dead for you, you should follow them.MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture Study: Ecclesiastes 12; Matthew 10:26-31; 1 Kings 11:1-6-Sermon: Wisdom in Words, Work, and Worship-Resource: www.biblereadingplan.org

While toddlers can be really funny with their actions and words, there is a big difference when adults do and say similar things. As we continue studying the book of Ecclesiastes, Nate Hilgenkamp teaches us what Scripture has to say about our words, work, and worship.KEY TAKEAWAYS-Here are some descriptions of the tongue in Scripture: snake, fire, sword, world of evil, and full of deadly poison.-Are you thoughtful with your words?-The wise are slow with their words.-Your tongue can eat you alive if you aren’t careful and thoughtful with your words.-Your words always matter, and they matter even more when it comes to your family.-You are never “safe” when it comes to speaking words that aren’t wise or gracious.-The wise work hard no matter what while the foolish work based on how they feel.-The wise are steadfast in their work.-Many of our problems with work are because we let our feelings guide our work.-Your laziness steals from yourself, and at times, it might even be stealing from your company.-Don’t work so hard to provide for your family at the expense of your family.-The world is not out of control, but it is out of your control. God is fully in control.-The more you try to control the more you will worry and fear.-The wise are surrendered in worship.-When you have a right view of God you can worship instead of worry.-It will not go well with you when your life is centered around yourself.-Do your words, work, and worship look like that of an adult or a child?-While children are often foolish, they have the one thing necessary to come to Jesus: need.-Don’t try to clean up your mess before you come to God. Come to Him as you are and let Him clean you up.-The only people who get into the Kingdom of God are the ones that know they shouldn’t.MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture Study: Ecclesiastes 10:11-14; James 1:19; Ecclesiastes 10:20; Ecclesiastes 11:1-6; Colossians 3:23; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-8; Ecclesiastes 10:15; Ecclesiastes 11:5, 3:11, 8:7, 8:17, 9:12, 10:14; Matthew 19:13-14-Sermon: Live Like You’re Dying

Do you have a bucket list? What do you want to do before you die? It could be anything at all. As we continue studying the book of Ecclesiastes, JP shows us that God has a bucket list prepared for each of us and that we should live like we're dying (and will live forever).KEY TAKEAWAYS-We do not know what tomorrow will bring.-Mortality causes us to be reflective.-Weddings are fun and celebratory, but everyone is distracted. At a funeral, the focus is crystal clear and you have everyone’s attention.-Remember death awaits us all.-In America in 2021, we are bad at death. We’ve outsourced it in a way that is completely foreign to other cultures and all of history.-You do not know how much time you have left.-It is really hard and sad when death strikes. We mourn because we were made to live forever. Death was not present in Eden before the Fall and it’s not in heaven either.-Find joy in living.-God does not want to rip you off. He is a good God, and He loves giving good things.-What do you enjoy doing? Can you do it to the glory of God? (doing something in faith and without sin). Go do more of those things!-Learn to enjoy serving others.-Do you use your words flippantly or thoughtfully?-You can be wise and live prudently, but even then, you don’t know what life has in store. Before Jesus returns, pain and death will come to the wisest people at times.-Live with wisdom.-Live a life not for God’s approval but from God’s approval.-We don’t have to experience all this earth has to offer before we die because we will have forever and ever and ever to experience this earth in its glorified form.-Don’t wait to live like you are dying. Surround yourself with Scripture, share the gospel with every person you meet, and give as generously as you can.MENTIONED OR RECOMMENDED RESOURCES-Suggested Scripture Study: Ecclesiastes 9; Ephesians 2:10; Colossians 3:23; 1 Corinthians 3:19; Psalm 111:10; 2 Corinthians 5:19-Sermon: Submitting to Authority