Chapin Christian Community Church

Set Free to Live Free: Week 8: Do Not Commit Adultery

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Sermon Summary: This sermon explores the seventh commandment, "You shall not commit adultery," and Jesus' interpretation of it in Matthew 5. The pastor emphasizes that Jesus takes the commandment beyond physical acts to include lustful thoughts. The sermon discusses the prevalence of sexual sin in society and the church, urging listeners to deal with the "weed seeds" of lust before they grow into destructive behaviors. It calls for yielding to God's wisdom and finding satisfaction in Christ to overcome sexual temptation.
Key Points:
Jesus expands the commandment against adultery to include lustful thoughts
Dealing with "weed seeds" of sin before they surface is crucial
Sexual sin and infidelity are prevalent issues in society and the church
God's design for sexuality is within faithful, monogamous marriage
Yielding to God and finding satisfaction in Christ is key to overcoming lust 
Scripture Reference:
Exodus 20:14 (The seventh commandment)Matthew 5:27-30 (Jesus' teaching on adultery and lust)Judges 16 (The story of Samson and Delilah) 

Set Free to Live Free: Week 7: Do Not Murder

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Sermon Summary: This sermon explores the sixth commandment, "You shall not murder," delving into its deeper meaning and relevance for modern Christians. Pastor Jody examines the biblical perspective on the sanctity of human life, from conception to natural death, and how Jesus expanded the commandment to address not just physical murder, but also the anger and hatred in our hearts that can lead to devaluing others. The sermon challenges us to confront our own anger and to value all human life as sacred, created in God's image.
Key Points:- The Hebrew word "raksha" means to unjustly take human life- Human life is sacred because we are created in God's image- The commandment applies to various life issues, including abortion and euthanasia- Jesus expanded the commandment to include anger and hatred in the heart- We are accountable for our thoughts as well as our actions- Unforgiveness and resentment are "weed seeds" of murder in our heartsTransforming our hearts through repentance and God's grace is essential
Scripture Reference:Exodus 20:13 - "You shall not murder"Matthew 5:21-22 - Jesus' teaching on anger and murder

Set Free to Live Free: Week 6: Keep the Sabbath Holy

Set Free to Live Free: Week 6: Keep the Sabbath Holy 5-Day Devotional: https://chapinccc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Set-Free-to-Live-Free_-Week-6_-Keep-the-Sabbath-Holy-5-Day-Devotional.pdf
Sermon Summary: This sermon explores the fourth commandment, emphasizing the importance of keeping the Sabbath holy. The pastor presents Sabbath rest as a gift from God, designed for human flourishing rather than a restrictive rule. He challenges the congregation to intentionally nurture a practice of Sabbath, trusting God's provision and resisting cultural pressures that glorify constant productivity. The sermon connects Sabbath observance to the gospel message, highlighting that rest comes before work in God's design, mirroring how salvation precedes our response of obedience.
Key Points:
Sabbath is a gift from God, not a legalistic burden
We don't accidentally Sabbath; it requires intentional remembering and planning
Work is not a product of the fall, but toil is
Our identity and value come from God, not from our work
Failing to Sabbath often stems from a lack of trust in God
Nurturing Sabbath requires planning and can be a counter-cultural witness
Being filled with the Spirit empowers us to rest as well as to work
Scripture Reference:
Exodus 20:8-11

Set Free to Live Free: Week 5: Honor Thy Father

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Sermon Summary: This sermon explores the fifth commandment, emphasizing the importance of honoring one's parents throughout life. It discusses the Hebrew word "kabad," which means both honor and weight, illustrating the significance and potential difficulty of this commandment. The message encourages forgiveness, understanding, and active efforts to honor parents, while also acknowledging that some parent-child relationships may be challenging or even abusive. The sermon connects honoring parents to broader themes of respecting authority and building healthy relationships.
Key Points:
- The fifth commandment is timeless and applies to all ages - Honoring parents is the foundation for loving others and respecting authority - The Hebrew word "kabad" means both honor and weight, suggesting value and potential difficulty |- Honoring parents involves active efforts like spending time, listening, and speaking well of them - Forgiveness is crucial in parent-child relationships, especially when there's been hurt - Parents should strive to be honorable and apologize when they've made mistakes - Breaking negative cycles and demonstrating Christ's love can heal family relationships
Scripture Reference: - Exodus 20:12 - "Honor your father and mother so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you."

Set Free to Live Free: Week 4: Don't Take His Name in Vain

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Sermon Summary: This sermon explores the deeper meaning of the Third Commandment, emphasizing that it goes beyond simply avoiding profanity. Pastor Jody explains that misusing God's name includes leveraging it for personal gain, associating it with things God doesn't endorse, and trying to manipulate God's will. The sermon highlights the importance of genuinely respecting and revering God's name, warning against the dangers of religious hypocrisy and the risk of missing a true relationship with God by merely going through religious motions.
 
Key Points:
The Third Commandment is often misunderstood and oversimplified
Misusing God's name includes leveraging it for personal agendas or to justify sin
There's a danger in thinking we can sin and then simply ask for forgiveness without true repentance
God's stern warning about misusing His name stems from His love and desire for our well-being
Dodging God's will in the name of religion can lead to missing a genuine relationship with Him
True reverence for God's name involves respecting, trusting, and treasuring Him 
Scripture Reference:
Exodus 20:7 - "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name."

Set Free to Live Free: Week 3: No Idols

Download 5-Day Devotional for this Message: https://chapinccc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Set-Free-To-Live-Free-Week-3-Devotional.pdf
Sermon Summary: This sermon explores the second commandment, emphasizing the importance of worshiping God as He truly is, rather than creating our own image of Him. The pastor explains that idolatry isn't just about physical statues, but also about how we conceptualize God in our hearts and minds. He warns against compartmentalizing God or trying to make Him manageable, stressing that God desires to be the center of our lives. The sermon also highlights the multi-generational consequences of idolatry and the blessings of faithful obedience.
Key Points:
- The second commandment prohibits creating any image to represent God- Idolatry includes not just physical objects, but also mental constructs of God that suit our preferences- God cannot be compartmentalized or limited to specific times or places- Modern forms of idolatry can include Bible translations, church buildings, worship styles, or Christian leaders- God's jealousy stems from His love and desire for our best interests- Idolatry has multi-generational consequences, but obedience brings blessings to thousands of generations- We are created in God's image, and Christ restores that image in us
Scripture Reference:Exodus 20:4-6

Set Free to Live Free: Week 2: No Gods Before Him

5-Day Devotional Download: https://chapinccc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Set-Free-to-Live-Free-Week-2-Devotional.pdf
Sermon Summary: This sermon explores the first commandment, emphasizing the importance of putting God first in our lives. It delves into the nature of God's love, the purpose of His laws, and the transformative power of obedience. Pastor Jonathan illustrates how making God our top priority leads to genuine freedom and joy, contrasting this with the emptiness of worshipping other "gods" such as possessions, religious obligations, other people, or ourselves.
Key Points:God's laws are not mere restrictions but a covenant of love and guidancePutting God first is essential for aligning all other aspects of lifeTrue obedience to God stems from love, not obligationWe must regularly examine our lives for "gods" that compete with our devotion to the LordTransformation, not just external change, is needed to truly put God firstOur relationship with God should be the foundation of our identity, not an accessory to our lives
Scripture Reference:Exodus 20:3 - "You shall have no other gods before me."Mark 2:21-22 - Jesus' teaching on new wine and new wineskins

Set Free to Live Free: Week 1: Freedom Fighters

Download this week's 5-day devotional: https://chapinccc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/SET-FREE-TO-LIVE-FREE-WEEK-1-DEVOTIONAL.pdf
Sermon Summary: This sermon introduces a new series on the Ten Commandments, emphasizing that God's laws are not conditions for a relationship with Him, but confirmations of an existing relationship. Pastor Jody highlights that believers are already set free through Christ's sacrifice and are called to live in that freedom. The sermon also discusses the reality of spiritual warfare and the importance of relying on God's strength to fight against spiritual forces.
Key Points:- God's laws are confirmation of a relationship, not conditions for one- Believers are already set free in Christ and called to live free- We live in a spiritual world and are involved in a spiritual warOur adversary (Satan) is strong, but our ally (God) is infinitely stronger- Victory in spiritual battles comes through intimacy with Christ- The outcome of the spiritual war is inevitable: God's victory
Scripture Reference:- Exodus 20:1-2- Ephesians 6:10-13

Really??: Week 3: Hate My Parents

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Sermon Summary: This sermon explores Jesus' challenging words about the priorities of His disciples. It emphasizes the importance of having a personal relationship with Christ that surpasses all other relationships and commitments. The pastor contrasts superficial following with genuine discipleship, urging listeners to move beyond merely tagging along with the crowd to becoming fully devoted followers of Jesus.
Key Points:
There's a difference between being present with the masses and being personal with the Master
Jesus often used hard teachings to separate genuine disciples from casual followers
Loving Jesus more than family or self is the essence of true discipleship
Being a fully devoted disciple means embracing Jesus' teachings, even the difficult ones
The joy and fulfillment of being used by God outweigh any worldly experiences
Scripture Reference:
Luke 14:25-26
Matthew 10:37

Really?? Week 2: Eat Flesh and Drink Blood?

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Sermon Summary: This sermon explores Jesus' challenging statement about eating his flesh and drinking his blood, interpreting it as an invitation to fully embrace and internalize Christ. Pastor John emphasizes the importance of truly hungering for God, moving beyond casual association to full dependence on Jesus. He argues that real life and transformation come only through Christ, and challenges listeners to examine whether Jesus is truly their daily sustenance or merely a side dish in their lives.
Key Points:
Jesus is the bread of life, offering eternal sustenance unlike temporary provisions
True life is found only in Jesus, not in worldly substitutes
Discipleship involves becoming who Jesus would be if He were you
What we consume daily shapes our soul; we must feed on things that last
Feeding on Jesus involves full surrender, not just admiration or casual association
Christians are called to move beyond religious talk to relational transformation
Scripture Reference:
John 6:53-57 (primary focus)
John 15 (vine and branches analogy)
Matthew 7:21