Current Series:
The Minor Prophets of the Old Testament shine a spotlight on God’s character — His sovereignty, holiness, and love — and teach us about justice, hope, and delighting in the Lord with joy. The Apostles of the New Testament were chosen and sent by Christ to carry the gospel of Christ to the world. Ultimately, both the Prophets and Apostles point us to Jesus — the sovereign one — who is our source of joy, hope, and redemption.
Recent Series:
2025 is our Year of the Creeds, Confessions, and Definitions for 2025. The creeds have been an integral part of church theology, unquestioned and authoritative, for the last 1,500 years. These “guardrails” are still just as relevant today. We will highlight the creeds weekly, and we're encouraging you to read them on your own.
Sermon Outlines
Sermon outline for Sunday, February 16, 2025
Hope: 1 Peter 3-5
I. Hoped (Past)
Key takeaway: Our hope is grounded in an historical certainty: the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
II. Hoping (Present)
Key takeaway: Our hope has present effects.
Scripture references: Jn. 16:33
III. Hopeful (Future)
Key takeaway: Our hope is in an incredible future.
IV. Hope Focused (Us)
Key takeaway: Our hope for RHBC. We emphasize:
i. Discipleship
ii. Truth
iii. Fellowship
Scripture references: Matt. 16:18; Rev. 2-3
Sermon outline for Sunday, February 9, 2025
Heeere's Peter: 1 Peter 1:1-2
I. The Only Election that Matters
Key takeaway: We are saved because in some (mysterious) way God chose us for salvation, as part of his sovereign plan.
Scripture references: Jn. 6:44; cf., Jn. 1:13; 3:6; Eph. 1:4-6; 2 Tim. 1:9
II. In the Sanctification of the Spirit
Key takeaway: He saves us so that by the power of the Spirit we can live lives of increasing sanctification, to the glory of God.
Scripture references: Jas. 2:19; 1:27; Acts 5:13; 4:21; 2:47; Matt. 5-7; 1 Tim. 6:12-16
III. For Obedience to Jesus Christ
Key takeaway: Saved by Christ, according to God’s plan, and by the power of the Spirit, we live lives that point others to Christ, the only way to come to God.
Scripture references: Jas. 2:19; 1:27; Acts 5:13; 4:21; 2:47; Matt. 5-75-7; 1 Cor. 16:13; 13:11; 1 Pet. 5:8; 1 Tim. 6:12-16
IV. Trinitarian Through and Through
Key takeaway: Peter’s introduction is an explicit affirmation of the early (and immediate) belief in the Triune nature of our God.
Scripture references: Rev. 1:4-5; Col. 1:16
Sermon outline for Sunday, February 2, 2025
Three Certainties: Death, Taxes, and God: Hosea 14
I. We Repent
Key takeaway: Hosea’s nation had turned its back on God, like we do. Thus, to restore relationship with God, we must take steps to restore it. These are the “four steps:” Return, Confess, Repent, Trust.
Scripture references: Rom. 10:9-10; Rom. 1:16-17; 3:22; 4:1-12
II. He Forgives
Key takeaway: When we do repent, God is absolutely faithful to forgive us, regardless of how ugly we think our past is.
Scripture references: 1 Jn. 1:9; Hos. 1:2-9; Eph. 2:12; 1:3-6; Rom. 8; 9:11
III. He Heals and Blesses
Key takeaway: He not only forgives, he freely blesses his people. The greatest blessing is the eternal life we have in Christ; far greater than the blessings of land and material prosperity the Israelites thought of.
Scripture references: Jn. 3:16; Jn. 6:68; 2 Chron. 2:8; SoS 4:11; Hos. 8:14; Mic. 4:4;
Rev. 21:23; 22:2
Sermon outline for Sunday, January 26, 2025
No God but Him: Hosea 13
I. No God but Him
Key takeaway: The human heart is ever prone to idolatry; but God is calling us to worship Him and Him alone.
Scripture references: Is. 43; Ex. 20:1-5; Gen. 6:17-18; 12:1-3
II. Time to Be Born (Again)
Key takeaway: The window of opportunity for repenting was closing fast, but the plea is there. They refused. What will we do?
Scripture references: 1 Ki. 8:46-53; 2 Chron. 6:24-25
III. Ransom from the Power of Sheol
Key takeaway: Hope in a ransom from the power of eternal death — and thus hope in eternal life — finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.
Scripture references: Gen. 14; 1 Ki. 19:14-18; Lev. 26; Deut. 28; Rom. 11:1-5; Gen. 21:12; 28:13-15; Rom. 9:6-13; Jn. 6:60-69; Acts 2:5; Rom. 9:25-26; Rev. 7:4-8; Matt. 2:15
Sermon outline for Sunday, January 19, 2025
God’s Love: Hosea 11 & 12
I. God’s Compassionate Love
Key verse: Hosea 11:8
Key takeaway: God’s love is in some respects unlike our idea of love. It is a perfect love consistent with his other perfections.
Glossary references: Aseity: self existent. God is the perfect fullness of life in himself. (A se is Latin for “in itself.”) Immutable: he does not change. [c.f., Heb. 13:8]. Impassible: God does not experience changes in emotion; he does not suffer. He is “without passions.” Simplicity: without parts. All that is in God is God.
Scripture references: Heb. 13:8; Deut. 29:29; 2 Pet. 3:9
III. God’s Chosen Lovers
Key verses: Hosea 11:9, 11:1
Key takeaway: God works through a remnant. He always has. While we assume bigger is better, God models 1 Corinthians 1:25 in his actions in the world, that the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisdom of the world.
Scripture references: Gen. 14; 1 Ki. 19:14-18; Lev. 26; Deut. 28; Rom. 11:1-5; Gen. 21:12; 28:13-15; Rom. 9:6-13; Jn. 6:60-69; Acts 2:5; Rom. 9:25-26; Rev. 7:4-8; Matt. 2:15
Sermon outline for Sunday, January 12, 2025 (James Galland)
Pitfalls, Perseverance and Pointin: Hebrews 12:1-17
I. Pitfalls
Verse 1: Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles….
Bitterness
Sexual immorality
Godlessness
B. Perseverance
Verse 1: " . . . And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us . . ."
Purpose
Promises
Person
C. Pointing
Verse 2: " . . . fixing our eyes on Jesus . . ."
Pioneer
Perfecter
Application:
Sermon outline for Sunday, January 5, 2025
A Surprising Sermon: Hosea 9 & 10
Surprise I: Judgment on Idolatry
Key takeaway: Hosea is warning of God’s immanent judgment for their idolatry.
Timeline reference: Most scholars believe the prophecy in Hosea 8:7 was delivered between 733 and 724 B.C. The earlier invasion of Tiglath-pileser III, in which he took just the northern part of Israel, took place in 733. The year 724 was the final invasion, leading to its ultimate demise in 722 B.C.
Scripture references:Hos. 8:7; Jn. 6:63; Ex. 20:25; Rom. 8:6; Rev. 9:20-21; 18:4
Surprise II: Perils of Prosperity
Key takeaway: Prosperity, intended as a blessing, also carries with it perils, of becoming an object of worship. It should point us toward God in gratitude, and be used for his glory.
Author reference: G.K. Chesterton (1874 – 1936) was an English author, philosopher, Christian apologist, and literary and art critic.
Scripture references: 13:20-21; Deut. 8:11-17; 1 Tim. 6:10; Ezek. 16 & 23; Mk. 10:23-27;
Matt. 18:8
Sermon outline for Sunday, December 29, 2024
The Creeds: 1 Corinthians 15:3
Introducing 2025: The Year of the Creeds. The creeds have been an integral part of church theology, unquestioned and authoritative, for the last 1,500 years. These “guardrails” are still just as relevant today. We will highlight the creeds weekly, and I’m encouraging you to read them on your own.
I. Their Past
The creeds have been an integral part of the churches and their theology, unquestioned and authoritative for the last 1500 years.
Scripture references: Col. 1:15-20; 1 Tim. 3:16; Deut. 6:4-5; cf., Mk. 12:29; Matt. 28:13;
1 Jn. 4; 2 Jn.
II. Their Present Value
The creeds have been sidelined to a large extent, but we still need the “guard rails” they provide, every bit as much as our forebears.
Scripture references: 2 Chron. 22-24; Jer. 6:16
Sermon outline for Sunday, December 22, 2024
Joy Advent
Introduction
All human pursuits are characterized by the temporary: temporary effort, temporary success, and temporary joy. How do we find that greater joy that leaves us whole, that does not pass away?
Scripture references: 1 Peter 1:1-9
Blaise Pascal (1623—62) was a French mathematician, inventor, scientist, and theologian/philosopher.
I. Early Joy (or, Historically Grounded Joy)
Although humans have always been able to experience a sense of joy, the character of joy has been changed entirely with the arrival of Christ. This is because it’s not dependent on ourselves, our feelings, or our circumstances: It’s grounded in Christ’s finished work at Calvary.
Scripture references: Ephesians 2:12, Habakkuk 3:17-18, Ephesians 2:1-8; Colossians 1:21
II. Existential Joy (or, Present Joy)
The joy that Christ gives is utterly stable, as are all the divine gifts. Joy is more deep-seated and stable than happiness, which is a surface emotion that comes and goes. Jesus also guards our joy; the world can’t take it away. Just as we have a living hope, we also possess a living joy.
Scripture references: Galatians 5:22, John 16:22, Acts 5:41, Habakkuk 3:17-18, Ephesians 3:18
III. Eschatological Joy (or, Future Joy)
Present sufferings move the Christian toward an eternal, glorious destiny with no more suffering. In its place will be perfect peace, fellowship, freedom, love, and joy. How can there not be joy when we’ll be living in a world beautiful beyond our wildest comprehension in the presence of God?
Scripture references: 1 Corinthians 2:9, Luke 9:23, Matthew 16:25
Sermon outline for Sunday, December 15, 2024
Love Advent
The world has various ideas of what “love” means. Scripture has revealed to us the one true meaning of God’s love.
Scripture references: John 3:16-18
I. Redefined Love
The word “love” can conjure up different images, meanings, feelings, and associations, depending on a person’s experiences. But the true definition of God’s love requires the proper context in order for us to fully understand it.
Scripture references: John 3.16, Luke 10:25-37, Matthew 5:43-48, Ephesians 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9
II. Redeeming Love
John 3:16 is a powerful verse that describes a love big enough for the whole world—a love demonstrated in its excellence by how bad the world is. In fact, the world is so bad, and we are so bad in and of ourselves, that our only hope is found in Christ’s perfect love.
Glossary reference: kosmos (Greek: world). Kosmos usually carries a carnal, depraved connotation.
Scripture references: I John 2:15-17
III. Revealed Love
God revealed His Son to us; He sent His Son to perfectly demonstrate Himself. By contrast, no culture at any time in history has ever come close—even with all their efforts at inventing gods—at the concept of God that is revealed in sacred Scripture. Our concept of God must be informed and shaped by Scripture, or it will be warped in some way.
Scripture references: 2 Peter 1:20
Sermon outline for Sunday, December 8, 2024
Peace Advent
The theme of “peace” shows up everywhere in New Testament greetings. The world thinks of peace as the absence of conflict; to Christians, it is so much more than that.
Scripture references: Jude 1–2, Numbers 6:24-26
I.The Proper Order: Mercy, Peace and Love
The only way to determine how our questions about our purpose in life is to answer the question of who God is, and to know that He is sovereign over everything. He has called us to himself in a massive display of mercy. Once we understand that, we are able to have peace.
Scripture references: Jude 2
II.Peace: A Wholeness Within
The peace described here is a supernatural, or God-given peace; sometimes in a way that defies explanation. It’s not just defined in the negative, as in the absence of conflict; it’s a positive, life-giving concept, given to us by Christ whether or not we are experiencing it at any given moment.
Scripture references: Jude 2; John 14:27; Matthew 9:21; Philippians 4:7; Colossians 1:19-21;
Romans 1:18; 1 Peter 1:2, cf., 2 Peter 1:2
III.Peace Then Love
The gift of peace was intended to empower a life of service by overflowing into a love for others. God, who is rich in mercy towards us, expects us to be rich in mercy toward others.
Timeline reference: The Martyrdom of Polycarp letter, written in 155 A.D.
Scripture references: Jude 2
Sermon outline for Sunday, December 1, 2024
Hope Advent: Right Guy. Wrong Goal. Real Hope
Those who are followers of Christ have good reason to possess a far greater hope than any other kind of hope we can possess.
Scripture reference: Luke 24:21-23
I.Hopes Fulfilled
If we are lacking hope, we can trust in Jesus. He offers real, unconditional, overflowing hope. He is hope fulfilled.
Scripture references: 1 Peter 3:12, 1 Peter 1:3-5, Luke 24:27, Luke 24:32, Luke 24:13,
2 Peter 1:20-21
II.Hopes Too Small
Human, worldly “hopes” are limited — often, they are just forms of optimism. This too-narrow sense of “hope” pales in the light of true Hope that Jesus fulfills.
Scripture references: Luke 24:21
III.Hopes Well-Placed
Real hope is placed in the right person: Christ. Because of the nature of that hope, there are several certainties we can gain from a Biblical hope.
Scripture references: 2 Corinthians 4:17, Acts 2:25-28, Psalms 16:8-11, Romans 7:7-12,
Luke 24:26, Philippians 3:14
-----
About the Minor Prophets: Hosea
One of the longest-serving prophets in the Bible, Hosea ministered from 752 – 722 B.C., primarily to the northern kingdom of Israel. The book of Hosea is the first of the 12 Minor Prophets in the Old Testament. Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, and Jeroboam II of Israel, reigned during Hosea’s ministry.
Sermon outline for November 24, 2024
Hosea 8:7: Sowing Wind, Reaping the Whirlwind
Tucked away under the surface of today’s passage, Hosea describes God’s sovereignty, his holiness, and the absolute and uncompromised worship he demanded of His people.
Introduction: Hosea spells out God’s three-part “lawsuit” against Israel. Today’s passage deals with the first charge: the lack of covenant faithfulness.
I.False Security (Hosea 8:2)
Although Israel claimed to be God’s people, they only knew of Him in a historical sense, and no longer truly knew God in a personal, meaningful, relational way. They wanted the benefits of the covenant without obedience to it.
Scripture references: John 8:33; Hosea 1:9; Exodus 32
II.False Worship (Hosea 8:4-6; 8:11-12)
True worship is in spirit and truth. We must know God intimately and bend to His spirit and will, not the other way around. If we don’t know God’s truth, we’re vulnerable to being led astray.
Timeline Reference: 930 B.C. (200 years before Hosea). The kingdom of Israel was split in two (Israel and Judah). Israel’s king set up false places of worship, which continued through Hosea’s day.
Scripture references: John 4:23-24; Exodus 20:3-4
III.False Expectations and Real Consequences (Hosea 8:7)
Sin may start out small, but persistent sin robs us of our joy and mires us in worldly angst. The temporary pleasures of sin will fade, but Christians know that true joy awaits them in Christ.
Scripture references: Revelation 22:1; Philippians 1:21
Sermon outline for November 17, 2024
Hosea 7:8-16: Holiness in Outside Relations
In today’s passage, Hosea describes an Israel in chaos—financially, physically, and spiritually. Israel’s international policy reflected their internal brokenness, and most of their kings during this period were unjust. However, God stands ready to redeem Israel if they will turn to Him.
Introduction: What is the real issue that is being addressed in Hosea’s statement?
Scripture references: Hosea 7:8-16, 2 Kings 16–17
I. To Be or Not to Be (Holy)
The demise of Israel during Hosea’s time stemmed from a lack of faithfulness to their God — a tendency that had already repeated itself for generations.
As Israel was called to be set apart for God’s own possession, so are we as Christians, in order that the world might see God through our lives.
Scripture references: 2 Kings 16-17; Deuteronomy 7:6; 1 Kings 11:4-6; 1 Peter 2:9-12;
Revelation 18:4; Hebrews 10:26-31; 13
II. Falling Away
If we do not have our identity in God — as individuals or a nation — we end up being assimilated to the world.
Your life as a Christian is not futile — it is based on the reality of spending eternity with Christ.
We have to consciously strive to live in the world without being of the world.
Teleology: Explanation by reference to some purpose, end, goal, or function.
Scripture references:Haggai 2:10ff.; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Matthew 5:13-16
III. “I Would Redeem Them!”
The heart of God toward his people is to forgive, restore, protect, and bless.
God allows us to choose to love him freely so that we can be redeemed.
Scripture references: Matthew 23:37; Revelation 16:9; John 10:9-10
Sermon outline for November 3, 2024
The Parable of The Persistent Widow: Luke 18:1-8
I. The Judge
Matthew 22:36–40
II. The Widow
Psalm 68:5
III. The Point
Luke 17:26-30, 11:2 1; Thess.5:17; Luke 23:46; Rev.6:10 1; Thess.1:10; 2 Peter 3:8; Eph.1:4
Sermon outline for October 27, 2024
Hosea 5:15–6:3: Hosea’s Prayer
I. Going Away
1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9
II. Coming Back
Matt. 11:28; 6:10; Jn. 4:29; Rev. 21:9; 22:17; Heb. 12:1-2; Jer. 29:13
III. Welcome Home
Is. 55:6-7; 1 Jn. 1:9
IV. Third Day
1 Cor. 15:4; 1 Jn. 5:13
Sermon outline for October 20, 2024
Hosea 4: Knowing God
I. Lack of Knowledge Equaled Idolatry
II. Lack of Knowledge Equals Idolatry
III. Lack of Knowledge Leads to Judgment
Sermon outline for October 13, 2024
Hosea 3: From Story to Statement
I. God is Love
II. Sin has Consequences
III. Therapeutic Consequences
Sermon outline for October 6, 2024
Hosea 2
D-Day
- D-Day
- The Duty of Citizenship
- The Drudgery of Sin
- D-Day’s Dire Direction
- Therefore I: Deterrents
- Therefore II: Dispossessed Blessings
- Therefore III: Desire re-Directed
Sermon outline for September 29, 2024
Hosea 1
- Introduction
- Judgment
- Grace
- Sovereignty
- Therefore I: Deterrents
- Therefore II: Dispossessed Blessings
- Therefore III: Desire re-Directed