Stronger Stuff

Joe Stewart
Sunday, April 20, 2025
Stronger Stuff
Sunday Morning

Stronger Stuff

Fear, shame, and death are powerful forces that can paralyze us. We've witnessed how these realities can create isolation, darkness, and destruction in so many people. Jesus came to address these very forces head-on, offering a love that is stronger than fear, a grace that overcomes shame, and a resurrected life that defeats death itself.

Locations & Times

First Baptist Church Seminole Tx

202 SW Ave B, Seminole, TX 79360, USA

Sunday 5:00 AM

Overcoming Shame

Overcoming Shame

Read Plan

Welcome to First Baptist. This page is where you will find the sermon notes and more information about what is happening at FBC.

Stay connected:
www.fbcseminole.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FirstSeminole
Twitter: @Seminolefbc
Instagram: @fbcseminolekids
@fbcseminole_youth

We meet Sundays:
9:00 am Worship
10:30 am Worship
Connect Groups throughout the week.

Generosity Through Giving

We want to thank those of you who give faithfully and systematically to our church. We hope you know how important your giving is to what God is doing at FBC Seminole, in our community, and across the planet through the different ministries we are able to partner with through your financial generosity. We've fixed plumbing, remodeled kitchens, replaced shingles, celebrated our teachers, and made  a difference in a host of other opportunities. Your generosity matters. We offer Financial Peace University on a consistent basis for those who need financial help.  It's a financial management system that allows multitudes to eliminate debt and live in freedom. Text the amount you want to give to 84321.

https://fbcseminole.org/give

hey
hey
hey
2 Corinthians 5:15-17 MSG

Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life emerges! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life emerges! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.

1. Jesus is Stronger than Fear

2. Jesus is Stronger than Shame

I. Jesus is Stronger than Fear
hey
III. Jesus is Stronger than Shame
hey
Guilt believes, "I did something bad." Shame believes, "I am bad."

We feel guilty for what we did. We feel ashamed for who we are.

Three ways we compensate for shame by adopting defective thinking:

1. We are vulnerable to perfectionism.

2. We are critical of ourselves which makes us hypercritical of
others.

3. We use self-defeating thoughts to shield ourselves from
disappointment.

hey
hey
hey
hey
Read 2 Cor 5:15-17 from the Message. What stands out?

Understanding the Passage

1. What is the difference between normal fear and toxic fear? How is faith a remedy for toxic fear?
2. How can fear of peers, parents, and your posse cause you to back down from following Jesus in faith?
3. How does John 6:66-68 and Hebrews remind us Jesus is superior?
4. How does Jesus free us from the fear of death?
5. What does Hebrews 12:1-2 influence us to repudiate shame? What is the difference between guilt and shame?

Reflection and Application
1. Which of the three ways of compensating for shame most defines you?
a. Vulnerable to perfectionism
b. Hypercritical of self and others.
c. Use self-defeating thoughts to shield yourself from disappointment.

2. Do you agree the fear of death is a defining quality of modern culture?

3. What's the difference from a life based on fear and one based on faith?

4. What's the difference between thinking based on shame and thinking rooted in grace? How will this influence your self-talk? Your Parenting? Your Ministry?