Chapin Christian Community Church

Be Prepared: Week 1: Seeking Truth

Dangerous Prayers: Week 5: Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Download 5-Day Devotional: https://chapinccc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Dangerous-Prayers-Week-5-Signed-Sealed-Delivered-Devotional.pdf
Sermon Summary: This sermon concludes a series on "Dangerous Prayers," challenging believers to move beyond safe, routine prayers to bold requests that align with God's will and mission. The pastor emphasizes the importance of believing Jesus' teachings fully, including the difficult ones, and how this belief should drive Christians to pray for boldness in sharing the gospel and for God to work miracles through them. He contrasts the typical American Christian prayer focused on safety and comfort with the early church's prayers for courage and divine power to spread the message of Christ.
 
Key Points:
Christians often pray "safe" prayers but should pray "dangerous" prayers that challenge and change them
Believers should fully embrace both the "sweet" and "salty" teachings of Jesus
The early church prayed for boldness and miraculous signs, not just protection
Our prayer life reflects whether we've strayed from God's heartbeat for evangelism
Christians need to add prayers for boldness and divine intervention to their daily prayer life
Scripture Reference:Acts 4:23-31 (primary focus)Luke 13:28 (mentioned as an example of Jesus' "salty" teachings)

Dangerous Prayers: Week 4: Send Me

Download 5-Day Devotional: https://chapinccc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Dangerous-Prayers-Week-4-Send-Me-Devotional.pdf
Sermon Summary: This sermon explores the concept of dangerous prayers, focusing on the prayer "Send me." It emphasizes the holiness of God, our readiness to serve Him despite our imperfections, and the importance of saying "yes" to God's call. The pastor encourages believers to step out in faith, share the gospel, and be willing to be used by God in their current circumstances, whether in their neighborhood or across the world.
Key Points: We must start with recognizing the holiness of God Believers already have everything they need to answer God's call Success in ministry is measured by obedience, not perfection We should offer God our "yes" before knowing the question Our lives should be fully surrendered to God's purpose The love of Christ compels us to live for Him and share the gospel
Scripture Reference: Isaiah 6:8 - "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"

Dangerous Prayers: Week 3: Search Me

Download Dangerous Prayers Week 3 5-Day Devotional
Sermon Summary: This sermon explores the importance and transformative power of confession in the Christian life. It emphasizes that true spiritual growth involves regularly inviting God to search our hearts, reveal our sins, and lead us to repentance. The pastor highlights that confession is not just about admitting wrongdoing, but about deepening our relationship with God and experiencing His healing grace. He encourages believers to be vulnerable before God and others, stressing that a mature Christian community is one that practices open confession.
Key Points:Confession is a "dangerous prayer" that requires vulnerability and actionGod desires us to be prepared to be the answer to our own prayersSin is a broad concept that affects our relationship with God and othersSpiritual maturity leads to more confession, not lessBringing sin into the light weakens its power and leads to freedomConfession involves both asking God to search us and naming what is revealed
Scripture Reference:Psalm 139:23-24Psalm 24:3-41 John 1:9

Dangerous Prayers: Week 2: Why Bother

Download 5-Day Devotional
Sermon Summary: This sermon explores the power of persistent, bold prayer as taught by Jesus in Luke 11. The pastor emphasizes that God is not bothered by our continual asking but may be moved by it. He encourages believers to pray dangerous prayers, particularly for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which is presented as the most important and transformative prayer request. The sermon challenges Christians to move beyond safe, routine prayers to those that require divine intervention and demonstrate faith in God's power.
Key Points:
Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray, focusing on the "how" rather than just the "what"God is not bothered by persistent prayer; He may be moved by itBelievers should pray boldly and persistently, not giving up easilyThe most important prayer is for the Holy Spirit to come and work in our livesDangerous prayers in dangerous ways can lead to significant spiritual breakthroughsPersonal prayer life is crucial for ministers and all believersScripture Reference:
Luke 11:5-13 (The parable of the friend at midnight and Jesus' teaching on prayer)

Dangerous Prayers: Week 1: No More Praying it Safe

Download 5-day Devotional
Sermon Summary:
This sermon encourages believers to move beyond "safe" prayers and embrace "dangerous" prayers that align with God's will, even when it challenges personal comfort. The pastor emphasizes the importance of yielding to God's plan, using Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane as a model. He explores the nature of prayer, its importance, and how to pray effectively, ultimately calling for a transformative prayer life that leads to spiritual growth and a deeper relationship with God.
Key Points:
Moving from "safe" to "dangerous" prayers
The importance of yielding to God's will, as exemplified by Jesus
Understanding prayer as a conversation with God
The benefits of prayer, including intimacy with God and relief from anxiety
How to pray using the PRAY (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) method
Trusting God's plan even when we don't understand it
The power of persistent, bold prayer
Scripture Reference:
Luke 22:42 - "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."

From Running to Revival; Week 5: All Synced Up

Download 5-Day Devotional
Sermon Summary: This sermon explores the book of Jonah, particularly focusing on chapter 4, to reveal the disconnect between God's compassion for lost souls and our own misplaced concerns. The pastor challenges believers to examine their hearts and align their priorities with God's desire to save people. He emphasizes the importance of responding to God's nudges to share the gospel, highlighting that God often prepares people's hearts in advance for such encounters.
Key Points:
God gives second chances and doesn't give up on us
We should be bolder in sharing our faith, trusting God with the results
Our concerns often don't align with God's priorities for lost souls
True spiritual maturity is when our concerns sync up with God's concerns
We must identify and remove barriers that prevent us from sharing God's love
Scripture Reference:
Jonah 3:1-5, 4:1-11

From Running to Revival: Week 4: Second Chance Obedience

Download This Week's 5-Day Devotional
 
Sermon Summary: This sermon explores the themes of obedience, overcoming fear, and responding to God's call. The pastor emphasizes the importance of stopping spiritual running, embracing God's second chances, and allowing Him to reawaken dreams and callings in our lives. He stresses the need for personal revival that leads to awakening in the world, urging listeners to pursue holiness and develop a burden for their community and beyond.
 
Key Points:God offers second chances to fulfill His calling in our livesFear can suppress the anointing and gifts God has given usWe must embrace both the life and lifestyle of JesusPersonal revival should lead to awakening in the worldBreaking up "unplowed ground" in our spiritual lives is challenging but necessaryDeveloping a holy agony and burden for our community is crucial 
Scripture Reference:Jonah 3:1-102 Timothy 1:6-7Joel 2:12-14Psalm 67Hosea 10:12

From Running to Revival: Week 3: Ex's Only

Download 5-Day Devotional
Sermon Summary: This sermon explores the story of Jonah, focusing on God's relentless pursuit of those who run from Him. It emphasizes God's willingness to hear the prayers of those who have strayed, His involvement in the circumstances that bring people back to Him, and the realization that true salvation and fulfillment can only be found in the Lord. The message encourages listeners to stop running from God and embrace His grace and second chances.
Key Points:God hears the prayers of those who run from HimGod is often behind the circumstances that stop a runner in their tracksSalvation from guilt, loneliness, and purposelessness is found only in the LordGod leverages our mistakes and consequences for good if we turn to HimGod offers second chances and is not finished with anyone, no matter how far they've run
Scripture Reference:Jonah 2:1-3

From Running to Revival: Week 2: No Payback

Download 5 Day Devotional
Sermon Summary: This week we explore the story of Jonah and its relevance to our own tendency to run from God. It emphasizes that while we all attempt to flee from God's will at times, we cannot outrun His love and grace. The pastor highlights the dangers of running from God, including making unwise decisions and hurting those around us. Ultimately, the sermon calls for a return to God, emphasizing His unconditional love and the grace available through Jesus Christ.
 
Key Points:Everyone has attempted to run from God at some point in their livesWe run from God because we think we'll miss out, don't trust Him, or confuse Him with bad church experiencesRunners often go to dangerous places and make unwise decisionsRunning from God hurts not only the runner but also those close to themGod's pursuit of runners is motivated by love, not punishmentJesus, unlike Jonah, ran towards God's will to bring us salvationGod's grace is sufficient and available to those who turn back to Him 
Scripture Reference:Jonah 1:1-17 (primary focus)Matthew 12 (Jesus referencing Jonah)Luke 15