Raintree Community Church

Jesus Rules Over the Storm | Dr. Stephen Conley

Text:  Mark 4:35-41   Jesus Leads With Purpose Into the Storm (4:35-36) Jesus takes His disciples with Him on the mission to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom (Mark 1:38).   Jesus Speaks With Power Over the Storm (4:37-39) The disciples accuse Jesus of not being aware of their need Jesus meets His disciples’ need and subdues the storm with His Word   Jesus Proves Without a Doubt that He is Lord of All Creation (4:40-41) Jesus confirms that He not only created all things but tha...

Jesus and Kingdom Growth | Dr. Stephen Conley

 Text: Mark 4:26-34   The Seemingly Insignificant Planting of the Word (4:26-29) Jesus demonstrates how the kingdom of God grows in slow, incremental stages. Jesus displays how the kingdom of God is empowered by the Word of God as it is sown into our hearts.   The Incomprehensible Growth of the Word (4:30-34) Jesus presents a contrast of small beginnings of planted seeds to the harvest of incredible growth Jesus’ parable points to a future day where people from every tribe, tong...

Jesus, the Light That Demands Our Attention | Dr. Stephen Conley

Text: Mark 4:21-25   The Gospel Light That is Revealed in Jesus (4:21-22) Jesus is the Lamp of God who has come to bring light and revelation of God’s Kingdom. We must be about shining the light of the Gospel to those around us.   The Weighty Response That Must Be Given to Jesus (4:23-25) The Present Reality: We must be careful listeners who hear with the intention to believe and obey. The Future Reality: We must realize that eternity is at stake as we hear the Word of God.

Jesus Addresses the Soil of Our Hearts | Dr. Stephen Conley

Text: Mark 4:1-20 (Part 2) The Teaching of Parables and the Kingdom of God (1:15; 4:1-2) The kingdom of God has been prophesied and is now being fulfilled in Jesus (Mark 1:15). Jesus begins to teach through parables in order to describe the kingdom of God to His disciples.   The Terrain of Two Different Hearts (4:3-9) The Unbelieving Heart is described as hard, shallow, and thorny ground that is unable to produce any lasting fruit. The Believing Heart is described as good ground tha...

Jesus and Kingdom Warfare | Dr. Stephen Conley

Text:  Mark 3:20-35   The Warfare of Two Kingdom Agendas (3:20-21, 31-35) The skewed perspective of Jesus’ family: The ministry of Jesus is akin to madness. The shocking response of Jesus to His family: The ministry of Jesus is about drawing people into His family by doing the will of God.   The Warfare of Two Kingdom Powers (3:22-30) The improbable accusation to Jesus: “Jesus is a liar who is empowered by Satan.” The inescapable conclusion: “Jesus is Lord and has the power over...

Jesus Calls and Commissions His Disciples | Dr. Stephen Conley

Text: Mark 3:7-19 The Clamoring Crowd that Wanted Something From Jesus (3:7-12) The crowd pressed Jesus to be released from their suffering, not their sins. They seemingly had no interest in the Gospel. The demons identified Jesus as the Son of God who had authority over the natural and spiritual realms.   The Common Men that Were Called to Follow Jesus (3:13-19) Jesus calls twelve men to be with Him and to be sent by Him with His message and power. These men would be the foundati...

Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath | Dr. Stephen Conley

Text: Mark 2:23-3:6 The Sabbath Explained and the Lord Revealed (2:23-28) Jesus explains that the Sabbath was instituted to serve people, not for people to serve the Sabbath. Jesus reveals Himself as equal to God as the Lord of the Sabbath.   A Hand Healed and Hardened Hearts Exposed (3:1-6) Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath, proving He is Lord of all. Jesus exposes the hardened hearts of the Pharisees. Jesus is our Sabbath Rest (Matthew 11:28-30; Hebrews 4:1-16).

Jesus, the New and True Wine of the Gospel | Dr. Stephen Conley

Text: Mark 2:18-22   Jesus Must be Received and Believed (2:18-20) Feasting, not fasting, is appropriate when the bridegroom is near. Truth: Jesus is the Bridegroom and He must be believed as the Son of God.   Jesus’ Message Cannot Be Combined or Contained (2:21-22) New cloth is unsuitable for old garments. New wine is uncontainable in old wineskins. Truth: Jesus’ message cannot be added to a religious system.

Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord | Dr. Stephen Conley

  The Powerful Witness of the Empty Tomb (20:1-10) The empty tomb confirmed all that Jesus had predicted concerning His death, burial, and resurrection.   The Personal Encounters with the Risen Lord (20:11-29) Jesus comforts Mary, the broken-hearted with His presence. Jesus dispels His disciples’ fears and deploys them on His mission Jesus draws out His disciples’ doubts and draws them to believe in His character   The Purposeful Aim of the Gospel Message (20:30-31) Everything...

Jesus Christ, the Savior of Sinners | Dr. Stephen Conley

Christ Died For Us (Romans 5:6-8) We are morally weak and helpless. We are ungodly sinners. We are enemies of God.   Christ Died to Save Us (Romans 5:9-10) As sinners, God’s wrath abided on us. As Savior, Christ absorbed God’s wrath on Himself.   Christ Died to Reconcile Us (Romans 5:11) Because of Christ, we are no longer enemies of God. Because of Christ, we possess an unending and indestructible joy!  

Christ's Seven Sayings from the Cross | Jeff Fitzgerald

In this sermon, we will witness the suffering of Christ for our redemption through the last words of Jesus from the cross.

Jesus, Friend of Sinners | Dr. Stephen Conley

The Gospel of Christ is Salvation to the Sinner (2:13-14, 17) Jesus preached the Gospel to sinners. Jesus called the most unlikely of candidates to follow Him.   The Gospel of Christ is an Offense to the Self-Righteous (2:15-17) The self-righteous cannot receive a Gospel that is founded on grace. Jesus reaches down to sinners on the street level of their lives, while the scribes sought to protect themselves from any potential contamination with sinners. We need to follow Jesus’ ex...

The Forgiving Power of Jesus | Dr. Stephen Conley

The Tough Crowd that Came to See Jesus (2:1-2) The crowd is made up of Pharisees, Rabbis, and Scribes (Luke 5:17). Jesus continues His preaching of the Word (Gospel of the Kingdom)   The Real Faith that is Seen by Jesus (2:3-5) Jesus saw the active faith of the men who brought their friend to Him These men were determined to see Jesus and believed that He could heal their friend.   The True Forgiveness that is Granted by Jesus (2:6-12) Jesus displayed His divine authority in for...

The Heart of Jesus | Dr. Stephen Conley

  The Healing Heart of Jesus (Mark 1:29-34) Jesus demonstrated His great power to heal and restore Jesus displayed His deep love for others   The Devoted Heart of Jesus (Mark 1:35-39) Jesus was devoted to private prayer with His Father Jesus was devoted to the Gospel mission He came to do Jesus was not seeking to make a name for Himself   The Compassionate Heart of Jesus (Mark 1:40-45) Jesus reached the unreachable Jesus cleansed the unclean

The Authority of Jesus | Dr. Stephen Conley

Jesus and His Authoritative Words (Mark 1:21-22) Jesus taught with absolute authority, providing a striking contrast with the religious community. As Jesus spoke, the people were lost for words in amazement.    Jesus and His Authoritative Control (Mark 1:23-28) Jesus is identified by the demons as the Messiah Jesus displays His power over the demons as the Messiah Jesus astonishes the crowd and leaves them questioning His identity

The Gospel Message and Mission of Jesus | Dr. Stephen Conley

The Gospel Message of Jesus (Mark 1:14-15) The good news that Jesus proclaimed was the culmination of all history and prophetic Scripture. The good news that Jesus proclaimed was about repentance of sin and belief in Him as the Messiah and Son of God. The Gospel Mission of Jesus (Mark 1:16-20) Jesus’ call to discipleship centers around allegiance, service, and surrender. Jesus’ call to discipleship will cost you everything

Tempted, Tried, and Triumphant | Dr. Stephen Conley

The Setting of Christ’s Temptation (Mark 1:12-13) Christ’s temptation is set in the wilderness without food or worldly comforts. Christ’s temptation was Satan’s strategic assault on His mission to the cross.   The Schemes of Satan’s Temptation (Matt. 4:1-11) The temptation of self-sufficiency The temptation of self-preservation The temptation of self-exaltation   The Strategy of Christ’s Triumph over Temptation (Matt. 4:1-11) In each encounter with Satan, Christ wielded the Wo...

Gospel Beginnings | Dr. Stephen Conley

The Gospel Appeared in a Person (1:1) Jesus is the Gospel message in the flesh He is the promised Messiah and the Son of God The Gospel was Announced by a Messenger (1:2-8) John the Baptist was the prophesied forerunner to Jesus the Messiah. John the Baptist’s role was to prepare the way for Messiah through repentance, pointing all to Him.  The Gospel was Approved by God (1:9-11) In Jesus’ baptism, God the Father declared His approval of Jesus and the Gospel message He would proclaim...

The Gospel of Mark | Dr. Stephen Conley

The Author of Mark’s Gospel The human author of this Gospel is John Mark. This was validated by several early church fathers, including Papias in 120 A.D. He served with the Apostle Paul and became a useful servant of Christ. He was also a protégé of the Apostle Peter and drew his Gospel account primarily from him.   The Audience of Mark’s Gospel The Gospel of Mark was most likely written between A.D. 60-70, during the reign of Roman Emperor Nero. The Gospel of Mark was written to G...

Pursuing Christ-Exalting Community | Dr. Stephen Conley

Love One Another Genuinely (verses 9-10a) We are called to love without hypocrisy We are called to love with affection   Honor One Another Faithfully (verse 10b) We are called to outdo one another in showing honor   Serve One Another Generously (verses 11-13) We are called to serve passionately with joy and patience We are called to serve in prayer We are called to serve in giving to others’ needs We are called to serve with hospitality   Understand One Another Appropriat...

Practicing Word-Centered Worship | Dr. Stephen Conley

We Must Intentionally Continue in the Word (2 Tim. 3:14-15) We are called to continue learning and believing the Scriptures, which point us to Jesus. We believe that the primary tool that the Holy Spirit uses to change lives and hearts is the Word of God. We see God’s attributes in what He has made, but we come to know Him personally through what He has said (Rom. 10:17)! Because of this, we emphasize expository preaching, Christ-honoring worship, and Word-based small groups.   We Must...

Portraying a Gospel-Driven Focus | Dr. Stephen Conley

1. The Gospel Defines Us The Gospel is the glorious announcement of what God has done through the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ’s work on the cross has satisfied God’s holy wrath, secured forgiveness of sins, and given eternal life to all who repent and trust in Christ alone for their salvation. Therefore, the Gospel is not what God requires.  The Gospel is what God provides.  The Gospel is not about human action, it’s about divine achievement.  The gosp...

Being and Making Disciples | Dr. Stephen Conley

Glorifying God: Our Purpose We were created for God and His glory We were created to know God and make Him known.   Being a Disciple of Jesus Christ: Our Identity Disciples of Jesus will follow Jesus Disciples of Jesus will imitate Jesus   Making Disciples of Jesus Christ: Our Mission Disciples of Jesus will live under the authority of Jesus Disciples of Jesus will seek to make disciples of Jesus Disciples of Jesus will help others follow Jesus

From Beginning to End | Dr. Stephen Conley

Christ, the Eternal Savior Came to Make Sinners into Saints (Rev. 1:4-8) Christ came in love as the One who is the foundation and culmination of all things. Christ came in love to bring freedom from sin by His blood. Christ came in love to bring those who trust in Him into His eternal kingdom.   Christ, the Eternal Savior Promises to Make All Things New (Rev. 21:1-8) Christ will dwell with His people forever in the New Heaven and New Earth. Christ will wipe away all the effects of...

From Preexistent to Incarnate | Dr. Stephen Conley

1. The Identity of Emmanuel Unveiled (John 1:1-5) 2. The Witness of Emmanuel Portrayed (John 1:6-9) 3. The Purpose of Emmanuel Proclaimed (John 1:10-13) 4. The Role of Emmanuel Revealed (John 1:14-18) "This Christ is not a reflection of the current mood or the projection of our own desires. He is our Lord and God. He is the Father’s Son, Savior of the world, and substitute for our sins—more loving, more holy, and more wonderful than we ever thought possible. He is Jesus, our Emmanuel!" ...

From Sorrow to Comfort | Dr. Stephen Conley

The Setting of God’s Promised Comfort (Is. 40:1-2) God’s message of renewing comfort comes in the midst of man’s sin and failure God’s message of renewing comfort is reinforced with compassion, reminding His people that God always keeps His promises   The Substance of God’s Promised Comfort (Is. 40:3-5) The promise of God’s renewing comfort is fulfilled in the promised Messiah The Messiah will come to accomplish God’s purpose and His glory will be revealed   The Sureness of God’s...

From Darkness to Light | Dr. Stephen Conley

The Darkness of Sin’s Captivity (Is. 1:2-4; 8:5-22) Israel had rebelled against the Lord and forsaken His ways (Is. 1:2-4) Israel would soon be taken into captivity by the Assyrians (Is. 8:5-10) God would not leave them or break His covenant!   The Light of the Messiah’s Eternal Kingdom (Is. 7:14; 9:1-7) Even amid the darkest of days, the light of the Messiah was already shining! God had a plan to rescue His people through the Messiah (Is. 7:14) The identity of the Messiah is de...

God is Omnipresent | Dr. Stephen Conley

Omnipresence Defined and Described God is present everywhere at the same time, filling every part of existence with His whole being. Jeremiah 23:23-24: “Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?”   Omnipresence Displayed and Applied God is always present in His universe (Psalm 139:7-12; Acts 17:22-28) God is always present in Heaven on His throne (Psalm 97:9; Psalm 123:1; Isaiah 6:1) God is alwa...

Luke 18:35-43 | James Fyffe

God is Omniscient | Dr. Stephen Conley

Omniscient Defined and Described God is “all-knowing.” God’s knowledge includes all things past, present, and future, all things immediately, simultaneously, exhaustively, and eternally. God never learns anything since His knowledge never comes through experience or imagination, nor is it acquired by a process of reasoning or observation. God’s knowledge is completely exhaustive.    Omniscience Displayed and Applied God’s Knowledge is Perfect (Job 37:5-6, 14-16) God’s Knowledge is Tra...

God is Omnipotent | Dr. Stephen Conley

Omnipotence Defined God is omnipotent, or all-powerful. The Latin-based term omnipotence combines two words: omni, meaning all, and potens, meaning powerful. In other words, God can do all of His holy will. Psalm 115:1-3 - "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! Why should the nations say, 'Where is their God?' Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases."   Omnipotence Displayed God’s Power is U...

James 5:19-20 | Dr. Stephen Conley

We are Called to Identify the Wanderers Among Us (vs. 19a) This individual is a professed Christ-follower who has begun to wander away from Christ. We must feel the burden of this calling, recognizing that we are all susceptible to wandering from Christ.   We are Called to Search and Rescue the Wanderers Among Us   (vs. 19b; Galatians 6:1-2) This search and rescue operation is OUR responsibility to one another This must be done with meekness and love to one another for the purpose o...

James 5:13-18, Part 2 | Dr. Stephen Conley

Prayer Works in All Circumstances (vs. 13-16a) Depend upon God in prayer during times of affliction. Give praise to God in singing during times of joy. Pray with the elders to God during significant weakness or sickness, expecting God to work His will. Confess your sin to God, knowing He will forgive. Be open to confessing your sin to fellow believers for the purpose of prayer and healing.   Prayer Works For All Christians (vs. 16b-18) Prayer is both powerful and effective. Pr...

James 5:13-18 | Dr. Stephen Conley

Prayer Works in All Circumstances (vs. 13-16a) - Depend upon God in prayer during times of affliction. - Give praise to God in singing during times of joy. - Pray with the elders to God during significant weakness or sickness, expecting God to work His will. - Confess your sin to God, knowing He will forgive. - Be open to confessing your sin to fellow believers for the purpose of pray and healing.

James 5:12 | Dr. Stephen Conley

1. Avoid a Life of Self-Deceived Duplicity (v. 12a; Matthew 5:33-37)   - Be careful in the oaths you take and the promises you make - Be mindful of tolerating duplicitous speech in your life   2. Pursue of Life of God-Honoring Integrity (v. 12b)   - Say what you mean and mean what you say to the glory of God. - Your integrity in speech is a serious matter, not a secondary issue.

Jim Shoberg | Missions Conference Thursday Session

James 5:10-11 | Dr. Stephen Conley

Perseverance Through Suffering Exemplified in the Prophets (vs. 10-11a) They obeyed God’s call to proclaim His Word They waited for God’s purposes to come to pass They persevered through suffering with a Godward focus Lesson Learned: Our suffering has a God-ordained purpose Perseverance Through Suffering Illustrated in Job (vs. 11b) Job sought to worship and obey God Job endured the loss of everything he held dear Job’s man-centered perspective was changed to a Godward focus ...

Romans 8:1-11 | Jeff Fitzgerald

  Freedom From Slavery (v.2) Former law, Mosaic law, was never meant to save us. Former law was meant to point to our need for a Savior.   Freedom From Condemnation (v.3) God knew the former law was unable to save us. In response, He sent His Son to us to do what the law could not do.   Freedom From Being Controlled (v.4) Because Christ is in us and we are in Christ, all of God’s requirements are fulfilled in us. We must live out who we are in Christ, not by doing good works in...

Are You Ready to See God's Hand? | Dennis Williamson

1. Planning is Important  Prov. 16:9, James 4:13-17     2. Who Will God Call?  John 1:43, Rom 5:10, Eph 4:22, 1 Cor 1:25     3. What Should You Be Doing?  John 6:1-13, John 12:20-22

James 5:7-9 | Dr. Stephen Conley

1. Wait for the Lord’s Return with Steadfast Endurance (vs. 7-8) Waiting on the Lord produces the fruit of endurance Waiting on the Lord strengthens your heart to stand firm   2. Wait For the Lord’s Return Without Grumbling (vs. 9) Do not fret and grumble about this current age God is coming and He will set everything right   3. Wait For the Lord’s Return With Unshakable Hope  (Isaiah 25:8-9; Romans 8:18-25) The hope we have in waiting for the Lord’s return is grounded in His et...

James 5:1-6 | Dr. Stephen Conley

Consider the Crumbling End of Amassing Wealth (vs. 1-3) We need to view our wealth with God’s perspective, knowing that it will soon pass away. Our temporal wealth will never satisfy the eternal longing in our hearts.   Consider the Condemning Indictment of Misusing Wealth (vs. 4-6) The Lord of Hosts will judge the self-indulgence and injustice of those who abused the poor   Consider the Incomparable Wealth of Knowing Christ Knowing Christ surpasses all wealth that can be gained i...

James 4:13-17 | Dr. Stephen Conley

Consider the Planning of Your Days (vs. 13) Beware of the pride of planning your life apart from God Beware of placing your hope in your plans. Put your hope in an all-wise God who is able and good.   Consider the Passing of Your Days (vs. 14) Be mindful that our time on this earth is fleeting Be careful to spend your time on this earth fulfilling God’s purpose   Consider God’s Perspective on Your Days (vs. 15-16) Be careful to keep God at the center of all you plan and do Be ...

James 4:11-12 | Dr. Stephen Conley

  The Path of Slander as Opposition to God and His Law (vs. 11) Beware of self-exalting speech that passes judgment on others When we pass judgment on others, we place ourselves in the place of God The Prerogative of God’s Role as Lawgiver and Judge (vs. 12) God is in the position of Lawgiver and Judge God has the power to save and destroy

James 4:7-10 | Pastor Stephen Conley

James 4:7-10 | Dr. Stephen Conley

James 4:1-6 | Dr. Stephen Conley

James 4:1-6 | Pastor Stephen Conley

James 3:13-18 | Pastor Stephen Conley

James 3:13-18 | Dr. Stephen Conley

James 3:3-12 | Pastor Stephen Conley