Galena Bible Church

Jesus Questions: Why do you call me good?

Mark 10:18  And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.Are
you good? For most people this is a pretty easy questions for them to
answer: "Of course I'm good." Isn't it interesting that our standard of
goodness is always low enough that we manage to fit in it? Jesus'
standard of goodness was God. I think we may need to raise our
standard. Sermon delivered to the Galena Bible Church Sunday May 3rd, 2015.

Jesus Quesions: What does it profit to gain the whole world?

There's a lot of "10 steps to a better you" books on the market today. So here's three steps to gain the whole world: 1. Never deny your pleasures, 2. Avoid
all discomfort, 3. Follow your heart. (***Disclaimer: you will lose
your soul following this***)What does Jesus mean when he says, "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" The American dream continually leads us to believe that our life is all about us and our ability to have more. Yet Jesus stood in stark contrast to that reality. There was nothing that we could give in exchange for our soul. But God gave himself in exchange for our soul!Delivered by Pastor Chris Kopp to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday April 26th, 2015.

Jesus Questions: Do you not yet understand?

Mark 8:21  And he said to them, "Do you not yet understand?"Jesus had a very hard question for his disciples that started with them arguing about who was supposed to bring some bread for lunch. Why did it escalate from the disciples discussing bread to Jesus asking them if they had hard hearts? Because the sin of hypocrisy sneaks into our lives is subtle ways and we end up hiding behind a mask of self reliance or religious practice, rather than pursuing Christ for who he is. In this sermon we look at Mark 8:11-21 and ask our self the question, "Do you not yet understand?"Delivered to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday April 19th, 2015 by Pastor Chris Kopp.

Jesus Questions: Which is harder to say...Which is harder to do?

Luke 5:23  Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?The scene must have been a bit comical. There Jesus sits teaching a crowded Bible study and a little plaster falls from the ceiling. Then more, and more until a ray of daylight slips through the ceiling. Does Jesus stop teaching? Do the people stair as slowly the hole gets large enough for four friends to lower their paralyzed friend before Jesus. What did they want? Physical healing for their friend. What did Jesus do? He healed his soul. "Your sins are forgiven." In less than a minute he would heal the man physically, but it is a reminder for us that the most important thing we need from Jesus is that which he could not say into existence, but that for which he had to die to purchase for us. Delivered to the Galena Bible Church by Pastor Chris Kopp, Sunday April 12th 2015.

Jesus Questions: Can I have a drink?

John 4:7  A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink."How can a Jewish rabbi man, ask a social outcast Samaritan woman for a drink of water? It's because he knew she was desperately thirsty for the things of God. What do you try to satisfy your soul with that will never satisfy. When we try to satisfy our hearts with the physical, we will always be thirsty again.Delivered to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday March 29th, 2015.

Jesus Questions: Do you want to be healed?

John 5:6  When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?"Jesus asks a very sick man a simple yes/no question: "Do you want to be healed?" The man's answer is: "I'm hopeless". Far to many people are paralyzed by the hopelessness that comes from living in a fallen world, and in incredibly painful, challenging circumstance. Many people live with with a misplaced hope that will never satisfy. To those people Jesus resolutely speaks hope. "Get up, take up your mat, and walk." What is paralyzing your hope today?Sermon delivered by Pastor Chris Kopp to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday March 22nd, 2015.

Jesus Questions: Where can we buy bread that these people may eat?

“Where are we to buy bread,
so that these people may eat?”
John 6:5Jesus
often chose to teach deep truths by asking questions. In this series
we'll explore a number of the questions Jesus asked, and mine the riches
that He has to teach us today. Why would Jesus ask such an illogical,
irrational question like "Where will we buy bread to feed these 5000
plus people?" It was humanly impossible. But Jesus wasn't asking a
question about food. He was calling for faith. He was offering "WE".
It's an incredible offer that the crowds didn't receive, but the
disciples did. Jesus may very well be asking you the same question
today.Delivered to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday March 8th, 2015 by pastor Chris Kopp.

Doctrine to Doxology: The story of man in the story of God

Luke 24:25-26  And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?"There are two predominant lies that our culture teaches today. The first is that you are the star in your own story. This is a man-centric view of our existence. The second lie is that your story has no eternal significance. This could be called a matter-centric view of our existence where the only thing that has significance is matter itself, and not what happens with that matter. These are polar opposites, and pull at our affections, purpose, and values. Yet the Gospel intersects our story in such a way as to answer the problems with both of these lies. It's that our story is not THE Story: The story of God. And the incredible claim of the Gospel, is that God invites us into His story. This sermon is a narrative teaching on the Doctrine of man, and the Doctrine of Sin. Delivered by pastor Chris Kopp, Sunday March 1st 2015 at the Galena Bible Church.

Doctrine to Doxology: Special Revelation

2Timothy 3:16-17  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.The reality of God's revelation is that all humanity knows just enough about God to condemn them (Romans 1). Yet there is an incredible access to the knowledge of who God is and what God is about because of what is called the doctrine of revelation. God has given us His Word through the Bible and allowed us a clear understanding of His redemptive work. In this sermon we look at a basic understanding of revelation (general vs special) and how God uses His revelation to bring us from immaturity to maturity.Delivered to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday February 22nd, 2015 by pastor Chris Kopp.

Doctrine to Doxology: Saved by Grace

Ephesians 2:8-9  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.How does God save us? Is it through our own striving to find the right way? Lead the kind of life that we are supposed to? Be "good people"? Thank God no! It's by grace. Undeserved, unearned, unmerited, long suffering, patient, grace. And to see salvation as anything else is to claim we saved ourselves. In this sermon we'll see how Romans 8:28-32 teach that the means of salvation is grace, the vehicle of salvation is faith, the object of salvation is us, and the end of salvation is Jesus.Delivered to the Galena Bible Church, Sunday February 15th, 2015.