Watch the video Version here: https://youtu.be/jW0wCJtNPzI

Summary: 1 Corinthians 13 and the “More Excellent Way”

Big Idea

Paul’s “love chapter” isn’t a sentimental poem—it’s the solution to a divided, chaotic church: “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13, ESV)

Text Overview (1 Corinthians 13)

• Without love, gifts and sacrifices are empty (vv. 1–3).
• What love is/does: patient, kind, not envious/boastful/arrogant/rude; not self-seeking or resentful; rejoices with truth; bears, believes, hopes, endures (vv. 4–7).
• What will last: miraculous gifts are temporary; love never ends (vv. 8–12).
• What must remain: faith, hope, love—and love is greatest (v. 13).
  Full text: “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor 13:13, ESV)

Context in Corinth (Why Paul wrote this)

• The church was fractured by division and comparison (cf. 1 Cor 1:10–13).
• Even spiritual gifts became a contest (cf. 1 Cor 12:29–31).
  Paul offers a “more excellent way”—love—as the cure for chaos (1 Cor 12:31).

What “Abide” Means

• Abide = persist, remain. Prophecies, tongues, and partial knowledge will pass away; faith, hope, and love remain as the church’s bedrock (1 Cor 13:8–12).

Where Do Faith, Hope, and Love Abide?

• They certainly reside with God (Heaven), but Paul’s burden is that they abide in us—become lived realities, not just ink on a page.
  • Faith in us: “I am reminded of your sincere faith … now … dwells in you.” (2 Timothy 1:5, ESV)
  • Hope in us: “… we have our hope set on the living God …” (1 Timothy 4:10, ESV)
  • Love in us: “… God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit …” (Romans 5:5, ESV).
    Full text: “… 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.” (Rom 5:5, ESV)

Why Is Love the Greatest?

• When faith feels weak and hope runs thin, love still acts—and often rekindles faith and hope. Love moves us toward others in concrete service, pulling us back from discouragement.

Illustration (Modern Echo)

• A homeowner sheltered students during a school crisis—opening the door, organizing contacts, feeding, calming, and ensuring each child got home. That embodied love restored steadiness in the midst of fear—exactly what Paul envisions love doing in chaos.

Practical Takeaways

• For a divided world/church: Practice the more excellent way. Let love govern gifts, opinions, and platform.
• When your soul is low: Do a specific act of love for someone else—visit, feed, call, serve. Love often re-sparks hope and strengthens faith.
• Make it personal: Ask, Do faith, hope, and love abide in me? Where, this week, will I let them live out loud?

Key Verses to Carry

• 1 Corinthians 13:13 (ESV): “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
• Romans 5:5 (ESV): “… hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit …”
• John 15:9–10 (ESV) [for abiding in love]: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love …”

Bottom line: In a world (and church) prone to noise, rivalry, and despair, love is the enduring way—and the way back when faith and hope waver.

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/AXga0ZYxrv0

Summary:

Summary: 1 Corinthians 13 and the “More Excellent Way”

Big Idea

Paul’s “love chapter” isn’t a sentimental poem—it’s the solution to a divided, chaotic church: “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13, ESV)

Text Overview (1 Corinthians 13)

• Without love, gifts and sacrifices are empty (vv. 1–3).
• What love is/does: patient, kind, not envious/boastful/arrogant/rude; not self-seeking or resentful; rejoices with truth; bears, believes, hopes, endures (vv. 4–7).
• What will last: miraculous gifts are temporary; love never ends (vv. 8–12).
• What must remain: faith, hope, love—and love is greatest (v. 13).
  Full text: “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor 13:13, ESV)

Context in Corinth (Why Paul wrote this)

• The church was fractured by division and comparison (cf. 1 Cor 1:10–13).
• Even spiritual gifts became a contest (cf. 1 Cor 12:29–31).
  Paul offers a “more excellent way”—love—as the cure for chaos (1 Cor 12:31).

What “Abide” Means

• Abide = persist, remain. Prophecies, tongues, and partial knowledge will pass away; faith, hope, and love remain as the church’s bedrock (1 Cor 13:8–12).

Where Do Faith, Hope, and Love Abide?

• They certainly reside with God (Heaven), but Paul’s burden is that they abide in us—become lived realities, not just ink on a page.
  • Faith in us: “I am reminded of your sincere faith … now … dwells in you.” (2 Timothy 1:5, ESV)
  • Hope in us: “… we have our hope set on the living God …” (1 Timothy 4:10, ESV)
  • Love in us: “… God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit …” (Romans 5:5, ESV).
    Full text: “… 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.” (Rom 5:5, ESV)

Why Is Love the Greatest?

• When faith feels weak and hope runs thin, love still acts—and often rekindles faith and hope. Love moves us toward others in concrete service, pulling us back from discouragement.

Illustration (Modern Echo)

• A homeowner sheltered students during a school crisis—opening the door, organizing contacts, feeding, calming, and ensuring each child got home. That embodied love restored steadiness in the midst of fear—exactly what Paul envisions love doing in chaos.

Practical Takeaways

• For a divided world/church: Practice the more excellent way. Let love govern gifts, opinions, and platform.
• When your soul is low: Do a specific act of love for someone else—visit, feed, call, serve. Love often re-sparks hope and strengthens faith.
• Make it personal: Ask, Do faith, hope, and love abide in me? Where, this week, will I let them live out loud?

Key Verses to Carry

• 1 Corinthians 13:13 (ESV): “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
• Romans 5:5 (ESV): “… hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit …”
• John 15:9–10 (ESV) [for abiding in love]: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love …”

Bottom line: In a world (and church) prone to noise, rivalry, and despair, love is the enduring way—and the way back when faith and hope waver.

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/jXLmneiBJg4

Summary:
Title: People Pleasing vs. God Pleasing

Introduction
The song This World Is Not My Home reminds us that we’re just passing through—but often that “passing through” feels like a grind of endless demands and expectations. Every time we turn around, someone wants something more from us. In those moments, it feels easier to say yes than to risk the pushback of saying no.

Jesus as Example – Mark 1:28–39 (ESV)

• Jesus was surrounded by people with needs—healing, demons, suffering.
• After a long night, He rose early to pray in solitude.
• When the disciples said, “Everyone is looking for you,” the implied demand was, “Come back and keep working.”
• But Jesus said no to that town and yes to His mission: “Let us go on to the next towns … for that is why I came out.”
• Jesus shows us that sometimes the good can become the enemy of the best.

Aaron as Warning – Exodus 32

• While Moses was on Mount Sinai, the people pressured Aaron to make an idol.
• Out of fear and people-pleasing, Aaron gave in. The result was wasted time, wasted talent, idolatry, and chaos.
• People-pleasing led Aaron to:
  • Waste his gifts on building a false god.
  • Violate his values by organizing false worship.
  • Blame others and lie when confronted.
  • Bring guilt and judgment upon himself and the people.

Principles for Us

1. You’ll always be outnumbered – but God calls you to stand firm.
2. People-pleasing wastes time and energy that God gave for better purposes.
3. It violates values when you trade God’s truth for human approval.
4. It doesn’t make anyone better—leadership requires the courage to say no.
5. It brings guilt and regret—better to disappoint people than to disobey God.

New Testament Application – Galatians 1:10 (ESV)
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? … If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

• You cannot be both a people pleaser and a God pleaser.
• God values you—you are worth standing up for because Christ died for you.

Conclusion
Saying no isn’t about selfishness; it’s about priorities. Jesus modeled it, Aaron failed at it, and Paul preached it: God’s approval matters most. Don’t let fear or guilt push you into pleasing people at the expense of serving Christ.

Watch the Video Version Here: https://youtu.be/83Hd5FKgW58

Summary:
Here’s a structured summary of your sermon with section headers:

Introduction: A Personal Turning Point

• Each year at PTP brings deep reflection and sometimes a “spiritual meltdown.”
• This sermon grew out of that experience—not about the preacher personally, but about the bigger theme of home.
• Pictures and personal stories are used only as illustrations to invite listeners to reflect on their own.

The Stages of Home

1. Ignorance of Home

• As infants, we are unaware of home—it simply exists around us.
• Life is about survival and needs being met.

2. Home Shapes Identity

• As we grow, home influences who we are.
• The people, habits, and environment become part of our character—for good or for bad.

3. Leaving Home

• Adolescence and young adulthood bring the desire to “set out” and build independence.
• This transition leads to creating a new home.

4. Home as Responsibility

• Home takes on weight as bills, relationships, and family come into play.
• Raising children adds a new dimension: responsibility for lives entrusted to us.

5. Home as a Tribe

• Over time, we learn that home is more than a place—it is people.
• Not always biological family, but a chosen community of support, love, and belonging.

A Spiritual Longing for Home

Eden: The Original Home

• Genesis 2 describes God’s intent for humanity to dwell in Eden in perfect relationship with Him.
• This is the home our hearts still long for.

Eternity Placed in Our Hearts

• Ecclesiastes 3:10–11 – God placed eternity in man’s heart, giving us a built-in desire for home with Him.
• Every culture reflects this longing through worship and searching for God.

God’s Call to Obedience

• Deuteronomy 11 – God promised Israel blessing if they obeyed and curses if they turned away.
• The principle remains true: our eternal home requires faithfulness, love, and obedience.

The Promise of an Eternal Home

• Revelation 21:1–7 – God promises a new heaven and earth, a dwelling where He will be with His people.
• No more tears, death, mourning, or pain. All things made new.

The Final Stage: “I Want to Go Home”

• Beyond nostalgia, the Christian longs for the eternal home with God.
• A poem illustrates the struggle of “swimming” through trials, temptations, and pain, knowing the reward is eternal rest with God, Christ, and the Spirit.
• Home started with being related by earthly blood, but eternal home comes only through the blood of the Lamb.

Conclusion & Invitation

• Do you want to go home?
• Today is the best day to start living in obedience, faith, and hope of that eternal dwelling.
• The invitation is extended: if you want help finding your way home, now is the time.

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/rlgamoAhMKo

Summary:
Sermon Summary: The Four Types of Prayer

Introduction

• Worship through singing must be “with the spirit and with the understanding” (1 Corinthians 14).
• Songs that include Scripture help us worship with clarity and understanding (Colossians 3:16).
• Illustration: CMYK printing model – four colors combine to make every color. Similarly, Paul lists four distinct types of prayer in 1 Timothy 2:1: supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings.
• Though often used interchangeably in English, each word carries a unique meaning and purpose.

1. Supplications – Prayer for Specific, Felt Needs

• Defined as specific, heartfelt petitions—requests that arise from pressing burdens or anxieties.
• Philippians 4:6 – “...by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
• Supplication is not casual—it’s urgent, personal, and consuming, often tied to deep anxiety or need.
• Example prayer emphasized asking God for personal strength and forgiveness, showing raw dependence on Him.

2. Prayers – Conversational Communion with God

• This word for “prayer” in Greek implies turning toward God in relationship.
• More than formal requests—it can be a simple desire to be in God’s presence.
• Matthew 26:39 – Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, not just to ask, but to commune with His Father.
• Sometimes prayer is less about words and more about dwelling in God’s presence.

3. Intercessions – Standing in the Gap for Others

• Intercession means praying on behalf of others’ needs.
• Romans 8:34 – Christ intercedes for us at the right hand of God.
• James 5:16 – “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
• This type of prayer covers:
  • Elders praying for their congregation.
  • Congregation members praying for elders.
  • Prayers for children, youth, deacons, and fellow believers.
• Intercession reflects Christlike love by carrying others’ burdens before God.

4. Thanksgivings – Gratitude in All Circumstances

• Expressing thanks, even in hardship, transforms perspective.
• Jesus gave thanks for the cup during the Lord’s Supper, though it symbolized His suffering and death (Matthew 26:27).
• Gratitude shifts focus from hardship to God’s faithfulness.
• Revelation 7:9–12 and Psalm 26 show thanksgiving as a vital part of worship before God’s throne.

Conclusion – Prayer Shapes a Godly Life

• 1 Timothy 2:1–6: Supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings are for “all people...for kings and all who are in high positions.”
• Purpose: That believers may live peaceful, godly, and dignified lives.
• God desires all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.
• Prayer—whether supplication, communion, intercession, or thanksgiving—draws us closer to God and aligns us with His will.
• Invitation: Whatever your need—salvation, strength, or support—God listens and cares.

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/n_96w3q7KKY

Summary:
Summary: Be Prepared

Opening & Context

• Preacher expressed gratitude for the congregation and their encouragement.
• Reflected on a recent visit to the Ark Encounter—the size, design, and purpose of the ark highlighted God’s wisdom and Noah’s obedience.
• Transitioned to the theme: Are we spiritually prepared?

Lessons from Scripture

• Matthew 25:1–13 – The Ten Virgins
  • Five wise virgins prepared with oil.
  • Five foolish virgins were unprepared and shut out.
  • Lesson: Christ is the Bridegroom, and His people must be ready at all times.
• Noah’s Example (Genesis 6–8; Hebrews 11:7)
  • Noah prepared an ark in faithful obedience.
  • His preparation saved his household.
  • The unprepared world perished in judgment.
• Parallel to Today
  • Like those mocking Noah, many mock Christians for living differently.
  • But when judgment comes, the unprepared will face regret, fear, and hopelessness.

The Emotions of the Lost

• Fear – facing God’s judgment without hope.
• Hopelessness – no assurance of salvation.
• Loneliness – separation from God and His people.
• Regret – realizing too late the need to obey.

The Hope of the Saved

• Christians have:
  • Faith, Hope, and Love (1 Corinthians 13:13).
  • Assurance in God’s promises, which never fail.
  • Salvation through Christ, pictured in 1 Peter 3:20–21: baptism corresponds to Noah’s salvation through water.

Call to Action

• Daily preparation is essential:
  • Walk with God faithfully like Noah.
  • Bear the fruit of the Spirit in everyday life.
  • Stay spiritually minded, serving Christ with obedience and joy.
• Invitation extended:
  • Repent, confess Christ, and be baptized for forgiveness of sins.
  • Continue growing through study and fellowship.

Major Topics:

• Preparation for eternity (Matthew 25; Genesis 6–8)
• Faith, obedience, and salvation (Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20–21)
• Hope in Christ vs. fear of the lost (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/EeOsQsCmqwo

Summary:
Here’s a structured summary of your sermon transcript with the key flow, illustrations, and Scripture references preserved.

Sermon Summary – “Jesus’ Playbook”

Opening Illustration: Armando Galarraga’s Almost Perfect Game

• Story: Since 1901, only 24 “perfect games” have happened in Major League Baseball (27 batters up, 27 down).
• In 2010, pitcher Armando Galarraga had retired 26 batters when a blown umpire call at first base robbed him of perfection.
• His response: no anger, no argument—he stayed calm and respectful.
• Later, the umpire apologized in tears.
• Application: His response was Christ-like—similar to Jesus in 1 Peter 2:20-24 (when wronged, He did not retaliate).

Main Theme

• Last week: “Satan’s Playbook” — lies and tactics to destroy.
• This week: “Jesus’ Playbook” — truths and motives that guide Him.
• Text focus: Philippians 2:6-11.

Jesus’ Motivation & Modus Operandi (Philippians 2:6-11)

1. Selfless Motivation
   • Philippians 2:6: Though God, He didn’t grasp at equality with God.
   • Came to earth not to prove Himself but out of love.
2. Self-Emptying
   • Philippians 2:7: Left the Father’s side; became a servant, born in humble conditions.
3. Ultimate Humility
   • Philippians 2:8: Obedient to death—even crucifixion.
4. God’s Exaltation
   • Philippians 2:9-11: Exalted because He wasn’t self-seeking; every knee will bow.

Jesus’ Rolodex of Truths

For Those Who Don’t Care About God

1. Repent or perish – Luke 13:3,5.
2. I won’t force you – Romans 1:24-28.
3. My kindness is to lead you home – Romans 2:4.
4. I take no pleasure in your death – Ezekiel 33:11.
5. I don’t want you to perish – 2 Peter 3:9.
6. Satan is a liar – John 8:44-45.
7. I care for you – John 10:11-13.

For Those Outside Christ but Seeking

1. I came to seek & save you – Luke 19:10.
2. Come to Me, I’ll never cast you out – John 6:37.
3. I’ll give you rest – Matthew 11:28-30.
4. You’re not too dirty to be cleansed – Isaiah 1:18.
5. You’re not too broken to be restored – Psalm 51:17; 34:18.
6. You must be born again – John 3:3-5; Acts 2:37-38.
7. Heaven will rejoice over you – Luke 15:7.
8. I’ve been watching and waiting – Luke 15:20.

For Christians

1. I don’t want to condemn you – Romans 8:1; 1 Timothy 2:3-4.
2. Satan has already lost—don’t listen to him – Revelation 12:9-10.
3. You’re different—show it – 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:10; Matthew 5:13-14.
4. You need other Christians & they need you – Hebrews 10:23-25.
5. When I discipline you, it’s out of love – Hebrews 12:5-6.
6. You don’t have to be perfect, but you must be faithful – 1 John 1:7-9; Joel 2:12-13.
7. We’ll spend eternity together—bring others – Matthew 28:19-20.

Conclusion – Philippians 2:1-5

• Be united, humble, selfless, and look to the interests of others.
• Goal: Have the mind of Christ in how we think, act, and respond.
• Invitation: Wherever you are in your spiritual journey—indifferent, seeking, or a believer—God loves you and calls you to Him today.