Jesus Questions: Do you want to be healed?

John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" 

Jesus asks a very sick man a simple yes/no question: "Do you want to be healed?" The man's answer is: "I'm hopeless". Far to many people are paralyzed by the hopelessness that comes from living in a fallen world, and in incredibly painful, challenging circumstance. Many people live with with a misplaced hope that will never satisfy. To those people Jesus resolutely speaks hope. "Get up, take up your mat, and walk." What is paralyzing your hope today?

Sermon delivered by Pastor Chris Kopp to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday March 22nd, 2015. 

Jesus Questions: Where can we by buy bread that these people may eat?

“Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” John 6:5

Jesus often chose to teach deep truths by asking questions. In this series we'll explore a number of the questions Jesus asked, and mine the riches that He has to teach us today. Why would Jesus ask such an illogical, irrational question like "Where will we buy bread to feed these 5000 plus people?" It was humanly impossible. But Jesus wasn't asking a question about food. He was calling for faith. He was offering "WE". It's an incredible offer that the crowds didn't receive, but the disciples did. Jesus may very well be asking you the same question today.

Doctrine to Doxology: The Story of man in the Story of God

Luke 24:25-26  And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?"

There are two predominant lies that our culture teaches today. The first is that you are the star in your own story. This is a man-centric view of our existence. The second lie is that your story has no eternal significance. This could be called a matter-centric view of our existence where the only thing that has significance is matter itself, and not what happens with that matter. These are polar opposites, and pull at our affections, purpose, and values. Yet the Gospel intersects our story in such a way as to answer the problems with both of these lies. It's that our story is not THE Story: The story of God. And the incredible claim of the Gospel, is that God invites us into His story. This sermon is a narrative teaching on the Doctrine of man, and the Doctrine of Sin.

Delivered by pastor Chris Kopp, Sunday March 1st 2015 at the Galena Bible Church. 

Doctrine to Doxology: Special Revelation

2Timothy 3:16-17  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

The reality of God's revelation is that all humanity knows just enough about God to condemn them (Romans 1). Yet there is an incredible access to the knowledge of who God is and what God is about because of what is called the doctrine of revelation. God has given us His Word through the Bible and allowed us a clear understanding of His redemptive work. In this sermon we look at a basic understanding of revelation (general vs special) and how God uses His revelation to bring us from immaturity to maturity.
Delivered to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday February 22nd, 2015 by pastor Chris Kopp.

Doctrine to Doxology: Saved by Grace

Ephesians 2:8-9  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

How does God save us? Is it through our own striving to find the right way? Lead the kind of life that we are supposed to? Be "good people"? Thank God no! It's by grace. Undeserved, unearned, unmerited, long suffering, patient, grace. And to see salvation as anything else is to claim we saved ourselves. In this sermon we'll see how Romans 8:28-32 teach that the means of salvation is grace, the vehicle of salvation is faith, the object of salvation is us, and the end of salvation is Jesus.
Delivered to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday February 15th, 2015. 

 

 

Doctrine to Doxology: How do we worship the Holy Spirit

John 16:7  Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

There has not been as divisive a doctrinal disagreement over the last 100 years than the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. Therefore many have failed to teach on Him, and there fore compounded the confusion. Who is the Holy Spirit? What does He do? And how are we to worship Him? John 16 teaches us more about the Holy Spirit than any other text in scripture. Join us as we walk through this passage and learn to love the Holy Spirit.

Delivered to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday February 1st 2015, by Pastor Chris Kopp.

Missional thoughts on the SuperBowl

We "cut the cord" on TV about two years ago and really have enjoyed not knowing what's going on in the world of sitcoms. About the only time we tend to miss having it is during football season. We're not die hard fans but we do enjoy watching the Saints play from time to time. (Don't judge cause I've read the Bible and I'm pretty sure God loves the Saints!)

We didn't catch the SuperBowl this year but with the Seahawks playing (the team geographically closest to Alaska) there was quite a buzz from the 12th man in Alaska. In the midst of doing other Sunday afternoon things around the house, I watched the game play out on people's Twitter and FaceBook feeds and I made some observations:

1. We were made to worship. I'm not saying the fans were 'worshiping" their teams but there was a deep longing and connection that expressed itself in passionate action. Their actions in no way changed the players or the game in any way, it was a receiving from the team enjoyment, and then expressing satisfaction. This is how worship of our God is always ment to be. Our worship in no way changes what God does or who He is, but rather completes our satisfaction in Him. 

2. There's enough expendable money to end global poverty and world hunger. It's not a sin to spend money on things we enjoy. The point is as we see how much money is disposable (the SuperBowl does become a god if we think we could not live without it) entertainment we realize that Global challenges that can be fixed with money are not insurmountable.

 

3. We were made for a community on mission. It's not good that man should be alone, is what God had to say about our condition. When you watch football fans from every socioeconomic, regional, and ethnic starta unite around a common goal of victory it should be a reminder to followers of Jesus that salvation was a community creating event with a clear mission given. Christ glorified and disciples made from all the ends of the earth. You may not like a coach or prefer to watch from a box suite rather than don body paint but the mission is the same. Cheer the team on. 

4. As Christians none of us are called to "watch the game". We are called to be IN the game. Run with endurance, Paul tells us. Leave it all on the field. Press on to take hold of the upward call of God. This isn't a game. This isn't practice. This is the one brief life we were given. Get in the game for the Gospel's sake.