On the Mountaintop with Jesus

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: Luke 9:22-36
Series: Lessons from the Mountaintop

From the mountaintop, we can see things that cannot be observed from the valley below.

1. On the mountaintop, God prepares us for spiritual battles to be fought in the valley below (v. 37ff).
2. On the mountaintop, God prepares us for our own personal cross (v. 31).
3. On the mountaintop, God gives us a glimpse of the greater glory still to come (v. 32).

Personal application: One does not go to the mountaintop to buy God’s love or to get His blessing on our plans, but to gain a glimpse of His glory and to be prepared for life in the valley below.

On the Mountaintop with Elijah

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: 1 Kings 18:20-40, 19:1-18
Series: Lessons from the Mountaintop

Once on the mountaintop, our job is to quiet our hearts and listen for what God has to say
to us.

1. On the mountaintop, God sometimes speaks through the fire (18:38).
2. On the mountaintop, God more often speaks to us in a gentle whisper (19:12-13).
   
3. On the mountaintop, God sometimes speaks a word of recommissioning (19:15a).

 Personal application: What is God saying to you today?

• He is speaking to me through the _____________, and He is saying ______________________________.

On the Mountaintop with Moses

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: Exodus 34:1-14
Series: Lessons from the Mountaintop

In the Scriptures (both Hebrews and Greek), the mountaintop is the place where we encounter God and gain the vision to make our lives count to the fullest in the valley below. 

• The first lesson to be learned on the mountaintop is the lesson of God's glory (Exodus 33:18). 
• The second lesson to be learned on the mountaintop is the lesson of His revelation (Exodus 34:6, 10). 
• The third lesson to be learned on the mountaintop is the lesson of fellowship with Him (Exodus 34:2-5). 
• The fourth lesson to be learned on the mountaintop is the lesson of God's provision (Exodus 34:10-11, Deuteronomy 34:4). 
• The fifth and final lesson to be learned on the mountaintop is the lesson of vision (Deuteronomy 34:1). 

Personal application: 1) Do I take time to meet God on the mountaintop? Where? When? 2) What lesson is God teaching me during my times with Him on the mountaintop? 

On the Mountaintop with Abraham

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: Genesis 22:1-19
Series: Lessons from the Mountaintop

Mountaintop experiences are not all "mountaintop experiences," if you know what I mean. They are not all sunshine and light. There is a dark side to the mountain a place of testing. The following are three lessons from the "dark" side of the mountain:

1. On the dark side of the mountain, God tests our faith in Him (v. 1).
• Will you trust Me with the thing you love most?
• Will you trust Me even when you can't understand what I'm up to?
• Will you trust Me for the impossible?
2. On the dark side of the mountain, we learn that God means us no harm (vv. 11-12).
3. On the dark side of the mountain, the man or woman of faith will receive God's provision for today and His blessing for tomorrow (vv. 13, 15-18).
• God's provision for today is exactly what we need (v. 13).
• God's blessing for tomorrow is more than we can even imagine (vv. 15-18).

"To this day it is said (by those who have been with God on the dark side of the mountain), 'On the mountain of the Lord, it will be provided!"

A Church Enjoying Life Together

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: Acts 2:42-47
Series: The Church You've Always Dreamed Of

Unlike many professing Christians in the West today, the early believers were known not for their anonymity, but rather for their shared life. Among the words that best describe them is “together.”

1. A hint of life together (Mark 3:31-35, Matthew 18:19-20).
2. The promise of life together (Mark 10:28-30).
3. The fulfillment of life together (Acts 2:42-47).
• Together in their submission to the apostolic teaching
• Together in prayer
• Together in generosity
• Together in worship
• Together in evangelism
• Together in heart and mind (Acts 4:32)
4. A picture of this life together (1 Corinthians 12).
5. The enjoyment of life together (Acts 2:46-47).

Many of us find the “dream” of life together more pleasant than the actual experience. But Christ has called us to turn this dream into a reality!

A Church That Never Stops Proclaiming Jesus as the One and Only Savior of the World

Speaker: Marty Voltz
Scripture: Acts 5:40-42
Series: The Church You've Always Dreamed Of

From the very beginning, the church’s central message has been “Jesus Christ, the one and only Savior of the world!” (See Acts 2:22, 36; 3:6, 16; 4:2, 10, 12, 17-18, 26, 29-30; 5:28-32, 40-42; and 28:31.)

Five observations about the church that never stops proclaiming Jesus:

1. It is a church that has rightly understood ______ __________ (Acts 2:22).
2. It is a church that will be used of God to _________ those who are ________ ________ from those who are ________ __________ by the _______ ______ (Acts 4:1-4)
3. It is a church that will _____________ ______________ (Acts 5:40).
4. It is a church that will never need fear ___________ _____________ to the ________ _____ ______ ______ (Acts 2:37-39).
5. It is a church that will be known by all for her _____________ ___________ to the _________ _____ ________ _________ (Acts 5:42).

Bottom line: The church that never stops proclaiming Jesus as the one and only Savior of the world is the church that will be found faithful at the return of our Lord!

A Church Where Spiritual Mothers and Fathers Abound

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: Acts 18:1-3, 18-26
Series: The Church You've Always Dreamed Of

On this Mother’s Day, I am thanking the Lord for each and every spiritual mother (and father) I’ve met along the way.

With regards to Priscilla:

1. She defied ______ ______________ (Acts 18:2).
• She made her “nest” an __________ _____ ______ _________.
• She _______ _______ (Acts 18:2-3).
• She __________ __________ into her home (Acts 18:26).
2. She and Aquila _________ ________ _______ to the church (Romans 16:3-5).
3. She cultivated ____ _____________ ________ (Acts 18:18).
4. She ______ ______ _______ _____ ______ ________ for God’s servant (Romans 16:4).
5. She did all this while ____________ ______ __________ (Acts 18:26).

Observation: I have yet to pastor the church that has had enough “spiritual mothers and fathers” for everyone who needed one.

Why the Church Has a Future

Speaker: Pastor Jay Childs
Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20
Series: Special Services

The Elders have recommended Pastor Jay Childs as a candidate to be our next Senior Pastor, and today we welcome him to share with us from Matthew 16. Pastor Jay grew up in Southern California and then in Northern Michigan. His wife, Becky, grew up in Boulder, Colorado. Jay and Becky have three young adult children: Ben (married to Ellie), Stacy, and Heidi. Before joining with Midland Evangelical Free Church in 1990, Jay and Becky pastored a church in rural Minnesota for three years.

Besides their passion for the local church, Jay and Becky love to walk, travel, rollerblade, and read. They also have a burden for encouraging workers in the mission field. They have both traveled to a variety of countries in this endeavor. Some favorite countries they’ve visited: Bosnia, India, Malaysia, Italy, Ireland, China, and Egypt. To hear more of Pastor Jay’s sermons, please visit www.mefchurch.org/sermons.html. We also invite you to stay after services today to enjoy a box lunch ($5/person, $20/family) with Pastor Jay and Becky, followed by time for questions and answers.

1. The Church is ________ by Christ.
2. The Church __________ to Christ.
3. The Church is ________ by Christ.

A Church Whose Members Seek to Be Filled Daily with the Spirit

Speaker: Pastor Marty Voltz
Scripture: Acts 2:1-4
Series: The Church You've Always Dreamed Of

Pentecost in the year 30 A.D. was the day that changed the world!

1. It is God’s demonstrated purpose that His children should daily seek and experience ___ ________ __________ _____ ______ ________ __________ (Acts 4:8, 31; Ephesians 5:18).
2. Failure to do so will result in lives filled with ______ _____ _______ _____ ______ _____________ which characterize this present age (Acts 5:3, 8:23; Matthew 12:43-45).
3. Those who actively pursue the Spirit’s daily filling willl be characterized by:
• _____________ (Acts 2:4)
• __________ (Acts 2:4)
• _____________ _______________ (Acts 2:14ff)
4. The church whose members experience the fresh filling of the Holy Spirit will be a church used by God to ________ ___ _______ ________ _______ ______ _________ _____ _________ __________ (Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 5:32).

Assignment this week:

• Confess. "O Lord, my heart and mind are so easily filled up with the things of this world."
• Ask. "As this day begins, I invite you to cleanse me and fill every part of my being with your Holy Spirit."
• Believe! "Knowing that this is your desire for my life, I boldly face this day in the knowledge of your presence, your power, and your discernment."

A Praying Church

Speaker: Chuck Beckler
Scripture: Acts
Series: The Church You've Always Dreamed Of