Westminster Calvary Chapel: Recent Episodes
Pastor Jeff Cramer
As we near the end of our study in Acts, we see the conclusion of a life lived for Jesus. Paul got caught up in the legal system and from his perspective it was hinder his ministry. Yet, as we discover in scripture present set backs are often the breeding ground for next steps. Remember Paul was in custody in Caesarea waiting for his court case to be heard. His accusers were the religious elites the High Priest of Judaism, the Elders of Judaism, and an attorney named Tertullus. They painted Paul as the ringleader of a cult that was creating rebellion in Jerusalem against the Pax Romana (Roman Peace). The Jews fabricated stories attempting to have Paul put to death. Now as we pick up today, the traveling ministry of Paul has come to an end — no more mission trips. But the effectiveness of the Gospel was still at work.
When we say, “God’s in control and working everything out in the world.” Many times that comes across as meaningless. We simply don’t understand it fully! God was patient with Pharaoh but the time came for judgment. Here’s a few simple applications as we look at a A safe country, a declining country, and where’s my country.
Paul was a hard charging man but it wasn’t according to his human desire. The Holy Spirit placed a strong desire in Paul to get to Jerusalem. Yet in all the lead up to get to Jerusalem, Paul’s friends were telling him that it was dangerous, and jail & suffering were ahead! And they were alright! But they were missing God’s purpose. God was moving Paul forward into the next phase of his ministry. While unexpected moments left an imprint on Paul’s life, He was still compelled to continue forward! Here’s the key… God used an unexpected way to move Paul forward.
As we continue to navigate thru the OT we’re working our way thru the 10-Plagues of Egypt; A series of judgments poured out by God. At the end of each of these plagues Pharaoh become more resistant and refused to give God His people! God says He had two purposes for these plagues, to show unbelievers His power (v.1) & To provide a deliverance story for His people (v.2) A Memorable moment to pass on to their kids & grandkids about how the hand of God moved on their behalf!
In our modern culture we have a strong dislike around the thoughts of judgment! Many have embraced the sacred-secular, which views judgment as the ultimate sin and labeling judgment as an enemy of “my feelings” that guide me to what I want! “This makes me feel good… so don’t tell me it’s wrong.” Yet, in an honest reading of the Bible we learn God’s motivation behind judgment. It’s to awaken humanity to the reality of what life & eternity is without Him! Tonight we will continue our study through the 10-plagues of Egypt.
Today we enter the last segment of Paul’s Mission in the book of Acts. Paul completed his 3rd Missionary Journey and he’s headed back to Jerusalem to drop off a financial donation from the Gentile Churches. However, along his travel route believers were warning Paul what would happen to him in Jerusalem! Paul was being warned of the difficulty ahead. In this section of verses, we see his arrival in Jerusalem goes bad - exactly like he had been warned about.
The Israelites had been enslaved in Egypt for about 400 years and it seems that they had lost faith in God’s promise to Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. No doubt they believed God existed AND went thru the motions of worshipping. However, they doubted He could, or would, set them free from the difficult circumstances of their lives in Egypt. In the Church Age we read the Gospels and how Jesus came with a ministry of mercy & grace & truth. Jesus came to seek lost people who know they’re sick and looking for help. Yet, God is not afraid to take radical steps to get the attention of creation. So, last week we ended with the first plague as the Nile was turned to blood and tonight we will look at the successive three plagues.
2 Timothy was written by Paul in a jail cell in Rome and was sent to Timothy to help him lead the church. Because his tendency was to be timid when opposition hit. So he encourages him to be strong and to raise up faithful men who can add to the ministry team. Paul then gives three examples to illustrate how Timothy and the church were to move forward in the last days.
God taught Moses that His Name was sufficient no matter what he faced! We learned this is a spiritual lesson all followers of God go thru. Because God wants us to trust Him. However, with the natural eye, Moses was 80-years old. He had spent the last 40-years of his life as a shepherd, and now God was calling him to go before the head of state – Pharaoh, to demand the immediate release of the country’s work force. No doubt, this was a daunting task from the natural perspective.
As we continue our study through the book of Acts, we cover the last segment of Paul’s 3rd Missionary journey before he heads to Jerusalem. He leaves some final instructions to the Elder’s leading the Church in Ephesus. Paul begins the discussion by highlighting how he modeled perseverance against the obstacles in ministry, and he gives the key points to church leaders starting in (v. 28). He gives 5 applications to consider focussed on an emphasis to “guard yourselves and God’s people” from two areas of attack – without & within.
God had called Moses to take a message to Pharaoh which was to let His people go. But after this demand things immediately got worse for the Israelites. God was moving behind the scene, but on the surface things got worse, and Moses was getting cold feet! Moses needed a right perspective that only God could give. So He speaks to Moses by making His power known. God reveals His name which reveals His character and moves Moses from faith to fear!
It was in Ephesus a city of spiritual darkness that the Gospel was having a massive impact! People burned their magic books, their little handmade idols of Diana were being ditched by people, and it was causing an impact upon the economy. Here’s the point… When the Gospel is being advanced by the people of God, light shines into very dark places and breaks people free! We are the distributors of God’s love! Which is why it’s so important to learn the full counsel of God.
We’ve learned of the expansion of faith is a work of the Spirit and not of man. We’ve seen this demonstrated thru the New Testament. The supernatural work of God’s Holy Spirit is needed in our time just as much as it was 2,000 years ago! Many people in the Church today are suffering from a lack of what Jesus offers because they’re spiritually unhealthy! Jesus has taught us that desperate people have a place to find hope! But, when we forget these truths, disastrous results happen as man tries to implement help separate from the Holy Spirit.
As we’ve read about Moses’ story we see that God had a plan for his entire life. God has repeatedly attempted to connect with Moses and God has been patient with Moses. Chapter 5 opens with the fact that God was on the move! So why did the conditions get worse? Satan loves to sift us as we step out in to trust God. He brings discouragement, pressure and attacks to make us want to give up and go back. This is what Moses was wrestling with and it’s something that you and I wrestle with today.
Going deeper with God can be scary because our human mind often thinks in terms of limitations and not of abundance. This is why anything done for God has to be done by faith in God. As we learn to see the person of God and the power of God we release our self to walking by faith. However, in Exodus 4 we see the hindrances of faith as Moses wrestled with God and gave excuses to not falling God’s leading.
Paul’s second ministry journey is coming to a close and we are getting the picture of what’s happening in his ministry as he makes his way back home. This isn’t some modeless journey that he’s on, rather it’s intentional and calculated. Let's look at some practical take-aways that we can apply to our lives today!
God has prepared a man – Moses – for 40-years and the Lord commissions him in this chapter. We can understand, no matter how long you have walked with the Lord He still has work for you to do. No one is too old OR too young to be used by God. The question is will I be ready to listen when you’re called, and will I walk by faith!?! You may struggle to recognize God’s voice at first. But that’s not problem, you’re not the first one.
Today we’ll see the up’s and down’s of ministry. Here in Acts 18, God provided Paul with other ministry partners while he was waiting for Silas and Timothy. There’s a simple principle here… always do ministry two-by-two.
In light of the global challenges regarding Israel, I want to give you and overview of how to understand what the Bible calls “The End Times” and prophecy that speak to those times. We will spend most of our focus in Matthew 24, and as we read through we must understand that Jesus, who is a Jew, is talking to other Jews (the Disciples). This is known as the “Olivet Discourse.” These disciples were asking questions about the coming Kingdom of God because they thought the kingdom would appear immediately. Jesus teaches them something much different.
God sends out his work and it accomplishes what He desires. That’s important to remember as we discuss what effective ministry look like. Because some will respond in faith and others reject placing faith in Christ. In today’s text, we’ll see both! Paul continue on his second missionary journey taking the gospel to different regions and cities and we can learn a few things about what a truly effective ministry looks like.
Last week as we started Exodus, we learned how God’s redemption story moves out of (Genesis) and into the next phase. We learned that 70-people (Israel) turned into roughly 2-million people. And today, we’re getting more details about the man God will us next – Moses. The conditions surrounding his birth were very difficult as there was a national forced birth control because Pharaoh ordered that all male Hebrew babies were to be killed. However, God has different plans for Moses, and we see how things will play out in his life over time!
As we continue through Acts 16 the growth of Paul’s ministry team is being chronicled. At the start of Acts 16 Paul went into Macedonia (Philippi, Thessalonica, & Berea). From there he moved south into Athens & Corinth before circling back east to Ephesus and finally went south into Jerusalem. Why does this journey matter to you as a Christian? Because it’s a picture of the expansion of ministry, which results in an expansion of faith. The Holy Spirit was moving through men and women as they stepped out in faith. The church needs to be reminded of how God wants to use us today.
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The theme of Exodus is Deliverance, which is defined as the action of being rescued OR set free.
In the experience of the Israelites Exodus shows us how God delivered Israel from oppression of the Egyptian Government, how God gave Israel freedom to serve Him, and how this freedom was to result in their worshiping of Him.
Psalm 46 has been a go-to Psalm for me because God has used it over-and-over in my life! Specifically v.10. There’s some questions about who wrote this Psalm. Some say it came from David & his battles in 2 Samuel. Others attach the setting to King Hezekiah and God’s intervention against Sennacherib. No matter who wrote it, we have a special Psalm of help that God has preserved for us in His word.
Tonight we conclude the final three-chapters in Genesis by looking at the truths woven into these chapters. When we live out biblical truths, church doctrines should impact our nations values. When we neglect or reject the truths of God, each person conducts their lives with a subjective right & wrong. As followers of Jesus we’re to instill faith into our children. Genesis closes with the death of two key patriarchs. The father of the 12-tribes, Jacob, and Joseph who carried the promises of God forward.
In these verses the Holy Spirit was forbidding Paul and the team to preach the word. This is an important topic to discuss with growing believers because we need to recognize the value of open & closed doors. Think about your life and discover where God is leading you. Look around and see where God is forbidding you.
When we try to push through a closed door, it results in frustration, irritation, & unexplained problems. The ministry team was staying flexible between the open and closed doors! This is a great example of directed service here where God was leading the way and showing them where to go & what to do.
Jacob’s family (Israel) is on the move & headed to Egypt. This first chapter communicates to us the family-line of Israel which came out of Jacob and thru his four wives. Chapters 29, 30, 35, and 46 explain these details. Jacob is a man who wrestled with fear most of his adult life and is on the move again at 130-years old. Now, he’s is forced to leave home again because of the devastation of the ongoing famine. He’s to remember that God is with him!
As we come in Acts 15 Paul & Barnabas had returned to Antioch of Syria from their first missionary trip with excitement & celebration of what God had done. The Church was onboard and things were looking good, but then a crack in the unity erupted. A group of people, some pharisees, wanted to manage the work of God by placing rules around the moving of God’s Spirit. While there’s much to learn in the book of Acts, 85% of this chapter is spent on dealing with the cracks of unity and then another 10% on division between Paul & Barnabas. We read about two major arguments in this chapter; first about God’s grace & second about God’s goals.
The story line is tapering down in Genesis, but healing is still needed in the family among the Patriarchs before the next sequence of history surfaces. Famine is happening, Josephs brothers come to Egypt for food & return home. But Simeon is held in prison until the youngest brother Benjamin is brought back. Their father, Jacob, still back at home is mad at his sons.
As we come to (Acts 14) Paul & Barnabas continue to take the Gospel into remote areas where both Jew & Gentiles lived. But, they kept getting run out of town. Literally each town they visited had some people come to faith, but many others rejected them & stirred up riots which forced Paul & Barnabas out of town. They were forced out of Antioch of Pisidia. Then down to Iconium, and further south and preached at Lystra and into Derbe. There are some who accept the message, but others were skeptical, rejected, and even mocked the message, making ministry very difficult!
Joseph’s is about 39-yrs old in this chapter. He’s had no contact with any of his family since they sold him into slavery. Now he’s married & has two boys. Plus he’s the 2nd most powerful man in Egypt during a famine & people are hungry! So Jacob, Joseph’s dad, sends 10 of his sons to Egypt to buy grain. The journey is about 265-miles from Canaan to Egypt thru a wilderness of desert land. Now Joseph stands face to face with his brothers who betrayed him, but how does he respond?
The mission goes on with Paul & Barnabas making their way to Antioch of Pisidia. Which you and I would recognize in our Bibles as the region of Galatia. The people in this area were known to be impetuous, fickle, and loved new things. Basically, they had a reputation for being uncommitted. The Gospel is spreading rapidly, and people are getting saved!
As we continue to move forward in our study of the Bible we see the bigger purpose of Joseph’s life take shape. Finally, victory comes after more than a decade of difficulty. About 10-years earlier… in (Gen. 37:5)… “Joseph had a dream…” and he told it to his family but they hated him for it! Tonight in chapters 40 and 41 we see three other dreams occur. The butler, baker and Pharaoh each had a significant dream.
As we move forward in the unfolding story of the Bible, today we come to a serious moment in the life of Joseph. We get to peak into a life that’s being perfected for a bigger purpose and it’s a beautiful reminder of how gracious & caring God is! God was with Joseph in the middle of this season when strange things & hard times were happening to him. Joseph was still being prepared for his life’s calling. But the testing in bad circumstances forged into his soul an unrelenting faithfulness!
We arrive at chapter 13 where the ministry of the church takes on a new shape. Men are selected, empowered by the Spirit, and sent out. We can recognize that he church is made of many parts with differing gifts; Jew, Gentile, men, women, free, and slaves. These men were ministering to NKJV (OR) worshiping the Lord NLT and all of a sudden… God gave a word of prophecy which directed the ministry beyond Antioch. Under Peter & persecution the Gospel spread north out of Jerusalem. Now God was going to use Paul to take it to the western world.
As we continue our study thru Acts, we arrive at chapter #12, which is often labeled as a parenthetic chapter. Meaning, we get a look behind the scenes into details of other events happening simultaneously. In this case… there’s persecution of the church leadership in Jerusalem. The Church was ministering to hurting & hungry people by lifting the weight of oppression in the name of Jesus. People were coming to a right understanding God’s grace thru Jesus and his coming Kingdom. Exactly what we want today - people pressing into Jesus above the politics of the moment.
In chapter 38 we come to a pause in the main storyline of Genesis and our attention is turned to Judah (the 4th son). In the previous chapter we see Judah involved in human trafficking which the bible tells us is worthy of death! As the story goes on Judah leaves the family and marries a woman outside the faith (covenant). He begins to make more bad decisions that even begin to affect his children!
This Gospel story is set to the backdrop of a 1st Century Sunday morning in Jerusalem when Jesus’ physical body rose from the grave! Many people are familiar with the facts of God’s word but it’s only in the place of intimate fellowship that a person can know Jesus! Our belief and understanding of the resurrection affects the way we live right now!
The scene is chapter 10 takes places about 10-years after the birth of the church. God was at work, but it took some time to prepare human hearts. Salvation is always a work of God’s grace and He uses believers to diffuse His work among people. What we see here is God working out the details of faith behind the scenes. This chapter opens with a Roman Centurion – Cornelius who was given a vision from God. On the other end, God was also preparing Peter to take steps of faith!
Acts records about 30-years of the early church (through snap-shot narratives) as the Holy Spirit births the church, nurtures the church, and multiplies Gods work on earth. Now the two primary characters: are Peter & Paul as they’re led by the Holy Spirit in advancing the Gospel. Today the Church reads and studies the book of Acts to be stirred into a greater faith as we learn how to advance the Gospel under the Holy Spirits leading.
History tells the story about Alexander the Great and how there was a man in his army who was not acting brave in battle. When he should have been pressing in he was lingering back! Alexander approached & asked “What’s your name soldier?” The man answered: “Sir my name is Alexander.” The great general looked this soldier in the eye & said “Get in there and fight or change your name!” John teaches us that when we identify our life with Christ, by faith, we overcome the world! No longer do we shrink back in defeat but we stand strong until Satan flees!
John concludes this book by speaking of the reality of being changed forever! I’ve pastored this church for the last 12-years and I see the church as the family of God on earth with many needing to be connected to God’s truth. Yet, one of the challenges of our time is that people have a fascination with identifying problems and treating symptoms to feel better but never getting better!
Jacob is being called to new steps of faith and we witness that these steps of faith bring new problems & trails into his life. After his sons, Simeon & Levi take revenge upon a whole city, Jacob is driven right back into a place of fear & panic. Right in the middle of this chaos, God speaks to Jacob directing him back to Bethel, a place of worhip and hearing the voice of God. Part of maturing as a Christian is learning that my prayers are not always for getting out of something, but rather asking for understanding in the middle of our difficulty. This is how God grows us in faith & obedience!
Over the years of pastoring, I’ve learned that fellowships change as God rotates His flock. Some people follow God & others don’t! Either way, God is the one who makes the adjustments as He sees fit. Here’s what it looks like practically, every year we provide & encourage a Bible reading program at the start of 2024 we provided a 2-year plan which is incorporated into the church app. So far, we’ve read thru Genesis & Exodus, and God is leading us supernaturally in a very natural way.
John continues on with the third test on how a child of God should understand the balance between the assurance God gives us and the warnings He lays out! We’ve been told repeatedly that God is love and we’ve also been instructed that because God is love we too should love! So what does that love look like?
What makes our faith in Jesus Christ genuine? In this section of 1 John we can understand that it’s not just that we say we’re believers, but that we act out our faith. John repeatedly says You’ve already heard this. Yet, as the aged Apostle he tells them to live out the message Jesus gave by loving each other! Challenges to our love comes from those close to us. Just like when Cain murdered his brother Abel. Why? Because he was jealous of his righteous deeds.
Today we’re going to look at John 15 and the verse Jesus spoke to us during our week of prayer & fasting. In spite of all the hardships we encountered in 2023, God wants us to know that we’re a chosen people with His blessing for bearing lasting fruit! This truth is so simple we can overlook the fragrance of grace He is showering us with.
As we walk with the Lord, we learn that there are seasons He has ordered for our lives. Each one perfect in its time. We learn to celebrate the work of God in the timing of God! As a church, from time-to-time we remember the past by re-calling the miracles along the way. Here’s a sample of 1-year.
On Christmas people are open to hear about Jesus & the Christmas Story. In fact, some learn that Jesus is NOT a fairy tale in a make-believe world. For the first time some people learn of the kindness of God apart from man-made religion. The gospel of Matthew ells us that Jesus came to everyday people, people who were hurting & had problems. The point is, God gives hope where HOPE is missing!
When Jesus ministered, He always brought people to a decision point. In Matthew 7 we’re coming to the end of the Sermon on the mount and as He closes, Speaking to the multitude, Jesus brings the crowd of people to a decision point. We have a choice on how we will individually respond to what Jesus taught & how HE speaks to us today. And by way of application, today’s message will focus on things that hinder our spiritual walk with God.
In this chapter we see God’s plan continue to unfold. There’s a few difficult conversations approaching. One with Jacobs brother, Esau, from 20-years earlier. When a family meltdown left emotions high and anger boiling over! The second conversation is with God as desperation leaves Jacob grasping for help. He’s in a conflict between faith & fear as the past catches up with him. God was using it as an avenue of healing & permanent change. It may take several decades but when we leave our struggles in God’s hand He brings healing.
The bigger picture of 1 John is focused on counterfeit Christians who were trying to convince genuine Christians that a person could be saved and still practice sin. In chapters 1&2 John focused on the test of “fellowship.” Because the talk of believers was not matching the lives of believers. We’ve learned when a person says they’re a Christian it’s biblically sound to expect fruit. It’s the evidence of what’s expected. We’ve learned that biblical fellowship is seen in a life characterized by “doing” not just “saying.” It’s an active faith NOT a said faith. In these verses, John underscores the motivation of genuine belief. And he is telling the Church we cannot be born again and then live a life of “practicing sin.” - It’s impossible!!!
God has a plan that He’s working out. And in part of His plan we may sense something is happening. Tonight, in God’s unfolding plan, a course change happens as Jacob is being re-routed back to his home town after 20-years of being away. As we begin this study, may we recognize the people in Biblical history is ordinary people with natures just like yours. We can understand in this chapter, God was getting Jacob’s attention and preparing the circumstances around his life for a change.
As we study the bible, we quickly learn there are two-types of storms God uses in the life of His people (Instructive & Corrective). Instructive Storms are storms to develop our faith and come as God allows difficulty into our lives. They occur as we’re in the middle of God’s will for our lives. These storms can fall on us out of nowhere! Corrective Storms are storms God brings to get our attention. He uses them to help us see the error of our ways to get us back on track. Whatever storm you find yourself in, knowing the difference between the storms helps us to retain the right perspective.
Many of you know that we've dealt with some hardship over the past few weeks, yet we've seen God's steady hand of faithfulness through it all. As we look to the scriptures, we know the Psalmist, David, was a man after God's own heart but still had struggles of his own. From family problems with his kids, to committing adultery, and even problems with pride. David prayed for God to give him an "undivided heart" and many of his psalms express a heart of gratitude because of God's unfailing love. As we enter into this Thanksgiving week, don't neglect the greatest relationship God has given you by drifting from Jesus. Be sure to thank Him for all He has done in your life!
Jacob is running from his brother Esau and he’s fleeing from Beersheba, 450-miles to the north, to his mother’s brother (Laban) in Haran. On the first night of his journey God appeared to him in a dream. Jacob responds to God’s promises by committing to honoring God with all of his increase. It’s such a beautiful thing when a person begins to grow in the Lord and the lights come on. That’s what’s happening to Jacob when he’s 77 years old! It’s no longer his families faith, now it’s his faith.
In our text today, John has a strong encouragement for the church: "remain in fellowship with Christ" (NLT). But how do we do this? Pastor Jeff will teach us what this looks like by taking a detour and pulling out practical instruction from Colossians 3. We are taught what this looks like as a church and it begins with getting rid of old practices and putting in place new spiritual values.
John circles back to the “little children,” those who are NEW to the faith. He sets the urgency of the hour with two critical lessons for the church: It’s “the last hour” & the signs of “the last hour.” He warns for the Antichrist and also many Antichrist. But He’s warning the church to not be deceived by those who are claiming Christ, but are lying with their lifestyle. Because when doctrine is discarded or relationships are broken off in unbiblical ways, you can be sure there’s an ungodly person (An apostate) in your midst.
It’s important to grasp the contemporary issues within this chapter because Jacob’s decisions on the road of life are just like ours! We’ve seen a man engage in family drama, pressure, strife, manipulating. The very actions, attitudes, & emotions we wrestle with. Commentators say that Jacob is a great picture of just being human! I think he’s a perfect display because his encounter with God leads to change! I believe the same thing happens in our lives too. God patiently transforms us thru the trials of life as we look to Him for help.
We live in an age where many people know about Christ & claim to be saved but their lives don’t reflect faith. John has been teaching the church that profession without proof IS A LIE! While he’s speaking to the family of Christ, we see he identifies three portions of believers. In this section of verses, we see the family make up & get a strong warning.
Today, John’s giving us the foundational test of what genuine Christian fellowship looks like thru doctrine and morals, which is the application of truth! John loved the church and he wanted them to be health & maturity that their lives would have purpose & be full of joy. He’s not teaching us to be directed to a set of religious standards. Rather, that we’re being called into relational standards that please the one who saved us.
In today’s study, the Bible focuses in on Isaac as we see his faith over an extended period of time. When he was faced with a famine, God wanted Isaac to stay in the promised land This type of story is repeated throughout the Bible and our lives. In the end, it was devastating decision that took a decade before the full consequences to played out. God wants us to know that growth in the Christian faith happens as we follow Jesus with steps of faith.
When I was a new believer my friend Kevin from San Diego modeled generosity perfectly to me. He didn’t lecture he demonstrated Biblical truth with his life and I caught on to it. He showed me how generosity works by living it. So, over the years, I’ve learned that the Christian life is more often caught than taught! It's during moments of fellowship many Bible truths are absorbed as we see other believers living them out. Today we're going to talk about “A Refreshing Reality.” John is teaching that fellowship with God does NOT require lives of sinless perfection (because we can’t attain that). But lives that are honest in bring our sin struggles to Jesus and responding to His loving truth.
Today we introduce a new study through the epistle of 1 John. Why? Because his aim was to anchor in the church with simple truth so that fellowship with God was maintained! John was writing to deepen the spiritual life of the church. The three main points throughout 1 John is Fullness of joy, Freedom from sin, Assurance of salvation. Wouldn’t we all like more of that in our life?
After we read about Saul’s conversion, God recorded the very practical advancement of ministry. We have a picture of an older believer wrestling to obey God (Ananias) as he steps out to serve a younger believer - Saul. Saul was 28 - 31 yrs. old at this point. Some think this Ananias was a leader in the church at Damascus at the time. With a simple observation we learn in vv.10-12 God was at work on both sides of the meeting between Saul & Ananias. In a vision Ananias was told to visit Saul and in a vision Saul was told ABOUT a visit from Ananias. When God calls us to step out we can trust that He has already prepared the details on the other side.
Chapter 25 backtracks a little to give us a few more details about the family of Abraham after Sarah’s death. Abraham lived another 38-years after Sarah died and he got married again – to a woman named Keturah. There's a powerful observation here, because we see the lasting effects of the hand of God on Abrahams “reproduction system." It lasted beyond Sarah’s death - He’s having kids at 140 years old! This is important because it reminds me about the gifts & calling of God on our lives. Just because I go thru a season of change OR difficulty God does not retract His gifting upon my life. We can trust His faithfulness!
After leading the Israelites for 12 years, Nehemiah had to go leave to Babylon for a short season. When he returned he found the people of God drifted into error and compromised by returning to faithless living. When you stop listening to God's Word, you start living in opposition to God’s will. In this chapter, we even see Nehemiah reference the "mixed multitude" which speaks of those who wanted to associate with the people of God but didn’t want to make a commitment to God. How does this apply to the church today? Here are 5 ways we can be challenged in our Christian walk.
We move into the Next Generation as Isaac takes center stage while God continues the promise of blessing Abraham and his descendants. This is a transition chapter where we Abraham implementing a plan to employ his head servant to find a bride for Isaac. Perhaps it sounds strange, but if parents were more involved in character evaluation we would have less divorce. Let's mine out of this chapter a few principles on how to find the right person to spend our lives with.
At the end of Acts 8, we see a deacon in charge of bread distribution program who spoke up during persecution as an evangelist, and now is being used on a special assignment. He had been led by God to different areas in his country to proclaim the message about Christ to the people he found himself around. We can take Philips example of witnessing to others for ourselves and the interesting thing was that it was such a simple process that we often times overcomplicate.
As we look into these chapters of Genesis we see God fulfilling His promise to Abraham & Sarah by giving them Isaac. Next we read how God calls Abraham to sacrifice Isaac and then stops him. Finally, Sarah dies and Abraham prepares for what's coming next. In these chapters we see God's faithfulness in each situation which encourages us about God's character!
(Ps. 77:2(a) NKJV
“In the day of trouble I sought the Lord”
I wish this was easy to do, but the fact of the matter is it’s HARD, and always requires a step of faith beyond our feelings! Some struggles slowly drain the life out of us. We see it… we feel it… and we hope it passes quickly, but things linger! The Psalmist in this difficult condition found that the essentials of life could NOT satisfy the angst of his soul. Have you ever felt that way? Like you've been crying out to God for so long and yet nothing is changing in your situation? In Psalm 42 & 43 we meet a guy who talks about this condition in his life and what he did to trust God in-spite of the trouble and pain. He was "Down, but not out!"
God accomplishes His plan in spite of the most unlikely circumstances & events. Things that seem ridiculous to us are often His finger prints upon our lives. In fact, the Bible says (Isa. 55:8-11) NLT God's ways are above our ways. As we look into our study, remember who the opening character is in (v.1). Saul who persecuted believers, the same man later known as Paul the Apostle.
We're going through a season of world history where right is being marginalized and immorality is being celebrated! We must understand that we're in a battle for souls and fighting from a place of victory. Paul understood the outcome of the fight and it helped him to keep moving forward. The takeaway is, Christianity is a battle field NOT a social club! God is teaching us to trust Him beyond the dead ends and He wants us to learn that His presence & His power changes everything!
Tonight we begin to focus OUR attention from a large scope of the global flood & re-population of the earth. All the way down to one man –Abraham (Gen. 17:5). An unlikely candidate to receive favor from God. Yet, this man is whom God chose to reveal Himself to and to give him a promise. Abraham came to faith somewhere between 50 & 60 years old in Ur of the Chaldean’s, but he didn’t respond to the call until he was 75-yrs old!
Let’s back up to (Acts 1:8) where Jesus tells His disciples the scope of the mission – they’re to be witnesses. This is key for understanding Stephen’s life in this chapter. The greek word for witnesses = martus (mar-toos) [G-3144]. Defined as: “One who believes so strongly in his faith, that he would give his life for what he believed.” This chapter is the transition between the birth of the church & the second phase of God’s plan for the church – evangelism. Stephen's mention in scripture starts at (Acts 6:5) & quickly ends in (Acts 8:2). It gives us a glimpse of the man he was – Stephen was:
(Acts 6:3) “full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom…”
(Acts 6:5) “full of faith and the Holy Spirit…”
(Acts 6:8) “full of faith and power…”
This becomes important because we learn from the impact of the early church - Everyday people who were relying on the abilities of God over self.
The book of Joshua deals with the military conquest of the land of Israel and god’s promise to bless them. It begins immediately after the death of Moses. The events recorded in this book took place around (1400 bc) +/-. Now the reason we’re looking at this book today is because its key theme is all about faith & obedience. Joshua led from 85-yrs old to 110-yrs old when he died (Josh. 24:29). His greatest steps of faith came as he neared the end of his life and we see god strengthen him in the opening chapter.
Tonight we dive into our Summer Series in the O.T. and it’s my aim to help you get a better grasp on how to know & use your Bible. God's Word “Is a lamp to our feet and light to our path” (Ps. 119:105). So, by teaching you an overview from the scenes of significance you will be able to take the light of the word and navigate the small spaces of life.
The bible says in (2 Tim. 3:12) that all Christians will endure persecution. Because in the last days the heart of man will become more defiant and rebellious against God (2 Tim. 3:1-5). In (Acts 6 – 7) we have a record of the first martyr in the church – Stephen. He knew what he believed AND in (Acts 6:10) it says no one could stand against him. And, just like Stephen we’re bringing the hope of Christ to minds that are warped / closed / & confused. So we must remember that god has given us holy spirit power to overcome, our lives are the platforms on display, while His promise is with us to the end!
We should be reminded of the glorious grace of God... In the Doctrine of Justification: I’m justified by faith NOT by something I earn (4:1-8), I’m justified by grace NOT by religious codes (4:9-17), I’m justified by God NOT by human efforts (4:18-25). But, too many people stop there thinking Salvation is ONLY a way to escape hell & get into heaven. It's like a lottery winner that never claims the million-dollar prize and remains in bankruptcy. Today we will take the practical results of justification and apply them to human struggles.
The book of Ruth was written during the days of (Judges) in Israel and this time was marked by a nation with weak faith & irresponsible living! While God had placed His people into the promised land (Israel) yet “everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” The quality of life was impaired nationally, because there was a famine. However, God wants His kids to live above the temporal troubles by faith knowing that He would carry them thru.
The book of (Ruth)… points us to two realities:
1) Hardship managed by self. (Elimelech & Naomi this is (chp. #1).
2) Hardship endured by trusting God. (Boaz & Ruth (chp. #2 - #4)
This team of leaders were in sync with the Holy Spirit & each other (v.12) “one accord.” What a good reminder of what all Christians should all be working toward. A single aim of glorifying Christ as one global body. In the O.T. there are many examples of how fractures weaken the work of God’s people – (Joshua 7). One guy halted the entire progress.
Before we venture into Acts farther, we need to take a moment and underscore some foundational truths about the Christian life. At the end of Acts 4 we see believers living a life of unity, generosity and love. There are some important practices regarding giving that we will go over today. For the sake of unity, I want to teach again with care & concern. My aim is to align our hearts in the facts of the faith, and provide simple steps of application!
As we make progress in our study of the book of (Acts) we’re at a scene that’s showing believers getting excited about Jesus! The message spilling out of their lives was contagious enough… to catch the attention of others. Because it was an authentic faith. At this point the church, within just a few months of its birth, swelled to more than 5,000 men + women + children! Today we’re reading about the atmosphere amongst those early believers. It’s an inspirational recap on how Jesus makes a difference in & thru the Church.
Look at the witness list of those who literally saw Jesus in His resurrected body. Seen by Peter. Seen by the 12 apostles. Seen by over 500 people at one time. Seen by his ½ brother James who doubted everything about Jesus. Seen by Saul (Paul) a guy who was hostile to the Christian faith. Here's the point: seeing Jesus for who He is changes everything! Some of you already faltered in the faith, others are slowly conceding to doubt, and you’re not trusting Jesus like you once did! The evidence is your life it’s filled with one painful struggle after another because you resist God! The only reply Jesus has for you is “Do you want to be made well?” (John 5:6) NKJV
Acts 4 Is the continuation of the miracle done to the lame man who had been sitting at the gates of the Temple in Jerusalem. Acts 3:26 with Peter & John explaining to the people how Jesus was the one who would take away their sin! But, as the story goes on we see the focus change from the miracle of God to the PERSECUTION of the saints!
Let’s approach this chapter with the basic idea that God is able to change tragedy into triumph and what seems like defeat into a new beginning! He is able to bring a message of hope from circumstances of pain & disappointment. His gracious response free’s us from the root issues that have caused us to be stuck. Peter & John were just ministering the way they saw Jesus do it and Jesus spoke words of faith to hurting people and their lives were changed!
At the end of Acts 2 we’re reading about the excitement of people that are new to the faith and hungry for more! There were 3,000 people that just responded to peter’s message of repentance and now these people followed with a fresh enthusiasm! But, as time goes on the freshness can wear off and sometimes people point to the pastor as not being able to give a compelling vision. If any church is going to function as God intends each of us must know, understand, & apply God’s word personally.
Peter explains the work of the Spirit by referencing the word of God. He stands up, being empowered by the Holy Spirit and calls for the attention of the people around the temple courts. Then he expounds on the prophecy of (Joel). A book that speaks about judgement AND the only way to escape it is thru repentance. So too, all of Jerusalem was guilty of rejecting their Messiah and crucifying Him!
Over the past 3-weeks we’ve gained a basic understanding about the different spiritual gifts in (Romans 12), (1 Corinthians 12), & (1 Corinthians 14). Today we wrap-it-up in (Ephesians 4) by cover the gifts that equip the church. Because in order for the church to function as god created it each Christian must assume their god given role and use their unique spiritual gifting “for the profit of all” (1 Cor. 12:7) NKJV
We've seen the birth of the Church and how the Holy Spirit filled the believers in (Acts 2:4). For the purpose of engaging the mission. Today we’ll discuss three specific gifts seen in (1 Cor. 12 & 14) - prophecy, tongues, & interpretation of tongues. Let's be honest, we’ve all been confused on these topics! We don’t want to get too far into emotional experiences that we abandon the clear word of God, nor do we want to get too far into the letter of the law and abandon certain spiritual gifts God has given.
Today we continue in our micro-series within the study of Acts focusing on the Gifts of the Spirit. We will spend most of our time in 1 Corinthians 12 studying the manifestation of the gifts, or the revelation gifts. Before we plow through them individually, let’s capture the simple idea from the beginning. Spiritual gifts reveal the presence of the Holy Spirit in the church. Point being, it’s the Holy Spirit doing a particular work thru a believer in both the natural & supernatural areas of life!
As we continue to navigate thru the book of Acts let’s start by continuing our discussion around the bigger issue at hand. God has given gifts to his people with the purpose of engaging the mission – making disciples! The simple point for us today is God has given each of His people a spiritual gift (Rom. 12:6) AND we’re to accept the grace to use them.
As we talked about last week God has given us a rhema word in (Ps. 32:8) NKJV indicating He wants to do more for us:
“I will INSTRUCT you and TEACH you in the way you should go;
I will GUIDE you with My eye.” But how does God do this?
(Isa 30:21) NLT – You will hear Him speak to your heart
(1 Kings 19:12-13) NLT – A gentle whisper
(John 14:26) NLT – Holy Spirit reminds us of what Jesus said
God speaks to us thru His word and overtime we learn HOW to hear Him more clearly above the other noises and competing voices. His whisper is so close & effective for guiding us.
Last year in 2022 we held onto a (Isa. 43:19(a)) as a special word from the Lord.
“For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
We witnessed how it played out for us. It was super-natural, thru practical ways. There was a focus & lots of God-given success!!!
God stabilized the fellowship as the doors were reopened for two Sunday morning services. Returning members were re-aligned with basic Christian doctrines and practices within the faith. For the road ahead in 2023, after a week of prayer & fasting God has again given us a word for this season of ministry.
We’re going to look at an uncommon character – Asaph. An inner-circle man from Jeremiah’s day who was left behind to care for the suffering remnant In Jerusalem. This guy was in bad condition and he needed his disappointment & despair changed into a heavenly confidence in God. He needed a new long-term perspective!
Being a Christians is getting harder as the moral temperature in our Country continues to drop! For the Body of Christ, we must NOT get caught in a vacuum – just spinning around with truths we know too well, but obey too little. We need the word of God to equip us AND the Holy Spirit to enable us to finish our race better than we started!
Our faith in Christ finds expression in the way we live our lives with Him. Martin Luther renewed a fresh perspective during the Reformation (AD 1517) AND encouraged the preaching & teaching of God’s word so the common-man could understand God once again! Today we continue our learning by letting the Bible speak for itself. This final portion of Colossians connects us with practical areas of discipleship.
Our righteousness is found in Christ, which means we have a right standing before God is by grace. But, our obedience is seen in the daily choices we make. Living in the power of God’s word & NOT just talking about it. It's obedience to the person of Christ in His word. He helps us when we’re NOT living as we should and as a loving Father, He corrects & guides us.
As your faith is being built up in the word of God, may we also recognize that satan is working to wreak havoc on you & the church by using tactics to hinder us. This chapter has a tone change as a change in tone as Paul takes a serious position by addressing five dangers...
We're venturing thru Colossians to strengthen a basic-understanding of how to walk with Jesus! This is important because the New Testament is made up of about 75% Epistles (Those are the books that teach on Christian Living.) Point being, God cares about how WE live as one of His! I want to pass along to you small truths for using your whole Bible. You see, the word of God is living & powerful (Heb. 4:12) & can be trusted to speak to us in real-time. Here's an example of living well.
We're going to take a short venture thru Colossians because you're not alone as a newer believer. This book will help you live out your faith in Christ! It will put to rest many misconceptions about being a Christian. Paul is writing to a group of people he never meet. His letter was delivered to a town he never visited and read publicly to a church he never preached in. What could cause a man to do this, why would he invest his time like this?
In these final verses we get a glimpse of church-leadership before Holy Spirit empowering and there’s a contrast between human wisdom & God’s. Yet, time reveals that God had a plan, NOT a committee. Practically speaking, WE get it wrong when we make life decisions without the leading, help, & peace of God.
As we continue looking at (Acts 1) we need to remember a very important point. The church did NOT exist yet! At this moment there are 120 disciples waiting in Jerusalem for the next steps while they continued worshiping God. The promise of the Holy Spirit had not yet been received so followers of Christ had NO direction & NO power and they could NOT continue the ministry of Jesus.
Today we're going to focus on an overview of the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church and at the end of the message I’ll provide a real time application for this Church. The New Testament reveals three ways the Holy Spirit is working. Each one is described with a different Greek prepositional phrase.
Hebrews closes with a few topics pointing us in a direction for growth. I’ve found that without clear direction in my life, it’s easy to get lazy. Paul gives pointed direction to help us move forward. Paul is explaining how to live in close community with people who aren’t blood relatives BUT who are part of the body of Christ.
Psalm 116 describes a person going through a difficult time and crying out to the Lord. God hears him and saves him! Can you identify with moments like these?
In my life I've had the privilege of being committed to my wife for the last 37-yrs and together we’ve raised a family by bringing them up in the ways of the Lord! I’ve seen how a common vision has held us together! Today, I want us to look back at (Joshua 1) to stir up fresh faith. As a ministry, this fellowship has served this community for 11-years and it’s important to remember some basic biblical principles as we “Continue To Move Forward!”
The bible is teaching us to get outside of our emotional thinking because it radically impacts the decisions we make! God's word tells us to think (v.3) consider & (v.5) have you forgotten. Back in (v. 3) we’re to recognize Jesus suffered blood shed and yet… continued to run faithfully. The race Metaphor introduce in (v.1c) is the focus here. Remember, race (Grk.) Ag-one’ = We get our English word agony from it. We’re to understand that a race IS demanding AND at times requires grueling effort!
The whole point of the book of Hebrews is a reminder that “Everything is better with Jesus” so don’t quit! Stop letting your circumstances dominate you! When you live for Jesus there’s an unseen enemy hunting you… (1 Peter 5:8) NLT. He’s trying to wear you down so you get wobbly in your faith! Does that describe you this morning – Wobbly!?! Please know you’re NOT alone!
In the second half of this chapter I hope you’re encouraged by the faith of everyday believers. People who lived their lives with an out loud faith in Jesus Christ! They didn't hide their faith! Their lives were on display for the world to see and what brought out their faith were the struggles they faced! Real men and women taking God at His word and living in His promises. They came to believe that which is ahead was better than what they were seeing. Some people receive miracles while others lose their lives. BUT all believers are to live by faith! God does not have to heal you to prove your faith. It actually takes more faith to endure than it does to escape.
Paul used real life examples of everyday Christians that modeled endurance that were counted as God’s people. They were known by God. Paul understood human frailty. He knew that hard times, uncertain times, & cultural change puts a squeeze on the Christian life. His aim was to recall the glorious benefits found in Christ, and in this chapter (Heb. 11) reminds all believers that a life of faith overcomes this world and you will emerge victorious!!!
We come to a topical message to help us navigate the cultural divide. This divide is NOT new to history! It’s just NEW to existing generations. The bible is filled with senseless-injustices & violence when people abandon the personal reality of God. I hope to capture your attention because we’re living thru complex times. When sin first entered the world man began hiding from God!
It's generally understood that “The aim of the Christian faith, is NOT to know something, BUT to do something with what we know.” We’re to go and make disciples! We’re to follow Jesus with our lives! Today we’re only doing a topic message from Hebrews 11:1. We know that Hebrews speaks to those wavering in FAITH. These Christians were standing still spiritually and in great danger of going backwards because they were lacking biblical faith! They needed to be encouraged, and maybe you need the same thing too – encouragement!?!
"The Gift That Keeps on Giving!" This phrase was first used by Victor Radio in the 1920’s to sell radios, in 1928 it was used to sell electric appliances, in 1948 by Du Mont to sell home electronics, in 1963 RCA used it to sell color televisions, in 1977 Kodak Cameras used it in their ads, and in 2016 Godiva Chocolate also used it. However, the original “Gift That Keeps on Giving” came from Jesus more than 2,000 years ago! (Rom 5:20b) NKJV “… where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” God's gift is greater than your sin and it keeps on giving!!!
Because people are prone to complain about the church as if they’re in a customer service line at Wal-Mart. People shop for which doctrines they want to submit to. Church attenders across America treat the House of God & the word of God like picky-consumers rather than born-again-believers. Titus had to teach the full-counsel of God starting at the basic-level of daily life.
Paul is presenting another life changing truth about the superiority of what Christ has given man! In other words, he’s presenting the power of what Jesus accomplished and how it impacts our lives on a daily basis. However, under the OT system people lived under a set of religious processes that only provided a temporary solution. Worshipers were kept aware of their sin because of the regular animal sacrifices they gave. They knew their need for a savior, and they were waiting.
On Good Friday we look back to a specific time in the life of Jesus. We recall what took place on that Friday between 9:00am & 3:00pm when Jesus was nailed to a Roman cross and hung there for 6-hours... FOR YOU!!! Today we honor Him by remembering the POWER of the Cross!
Psalm 51 is a record of King David’s prayer after his fall into a forbidden sexual relationship with a married woman – adultery. When the woman came up pregnant he ordered the woman’s husband to be killed to cover up his guilt. Perhaps you’re in the middle of a painful story with your own regrets and you need the help of God! Can I encourage you to pay close attention to this message!?!
We must remember that growth happens best in sifted soil. God is growing this fellowship, but He’s also allowing you to be sifted! Word of wisdom: Stay close and don’t give in!
The original readers of Hebrews were falling away from the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3). So they needed Gospel truth again to understand the superiority of Christ and in the case of (Heb. 7) the Priesthood of Christ was being explained to them! And let’s just say it can be difficult to grasp within our 21st Century world. However, people within the Church today often times begin relating to God by their own goodness! Departing from GRACE received by FAITH! And maybe some of you are doing the same!?!
Tonight we come to the Epistle of (Titus) which is a relatively short book – three chapters, but it’s packed with a powerful message! The immediate task set before Titus was to bring order to the Churches in Crete. An island where distorted faith had become the norm. Perhaps not much different than it is in America right now!?! There are many churches today falling into the woke ideology of climate change / sexual revolution / gender dysphoria / etc. Point being, pastors today AND Titus back then have some tough work to do! The churches on Crete had a bad reputation and some needed a sharp rebuke (1:13).
In the book of Hebrews, the context points to the sufficiency of Christ! The context of this chapter is the Priesthood of Christ. Hebrews 7 is considered the pinnacle of the entire Epistle of Hebrews because it focuses on the unchanging priesthood of Christ! Remember that the work of the High Priest was to represent man before God. A topic 21st Century Christian know little about because we’re 2,000 after the Cross of Christ! Yet, the original audience of (Hebrews) was totally familiar with the Law of Moses, sacrificial systems, temple worship and even the role of the priest before God.
The aim of the Christian is to keep a light touch on this world knowing that WE do not have to strive to get ahead. Unchecked desires leads to harmful living. The “love of money” is literally describing a person who gives an ungenerous amount. The Christian is to:
- Pursue OR build his life on biblical truths.
- Fight (v.12) NLT for eternal things
- Command (v.17) NLT
- Guard (v.20) The truths you’ve been taught
When God does something new you can be certain that conflict & opposition will arise! In the book of Nehemiah, they faced threats, lies, and discouragement. Adding to this when Moses led into new territory Satan got people to resist the move of God. Because he loves to disrupt unity! We’re going to gain some insight into the topic of change. We’re going to see when God puts His plan in motion that there are some pitfalls to growth we will see how to avoid suffering a setback as we explore both the Old & New Testaments.
Lots of big news coming out of Russia & Ukraine. How does this line up with Biblical Prophecy? Ezekiel 37-39 seem to fill in the blanks and give us some perspective...
In Hebrews 6:4-12 Paul lays out some difficult content that can cause our heads to spin! We need to chew on his words we need to ask for clarification and decide how to respond. In the ministry of Jesus, He often brought His disciples to the crossroads of tough truths. It was at those crossroads where they had to do some introspection.
- They had to chew of His words…
- They had to ask for clarification…
- They had to decide how to personally respond to the difficult!
Chapter 5 covers the Pastor’s work in the ministry. Timothy focuses on common courtesy toward the younger and older men, and younger and older women in the church. How to honor widows and some general principles for extending care. Finally he discusses how to lead with the elders in the church.
Today we’re going to see Paul pivot from his arguments about the superiority of Christ over angels / Moses /& even the Law. And he’s going to make the application of grace under the Priesthood of Christ! However, he presents this in a negative form because the recipients of Hebrews had become lazy in listening & slow in responding! Their spiritual growth had stalled out. Maybe that describes your spiritual walk to? You have been a Christian for many years, but your growth & maturity is not reflected in a life of obedience & service to Christ. You too, have become Lazy in listening & slow in responding! This portion of Hebrews addresses the issues of slow OR regressive spiritual growth!
IN THE REMAINING CHAPTERS OF (1 Timothy) the focus is on the walk, work, & warnings for the pastor! Three helpful areas of instruction:
The pastors walk of faith (chap #4) The pastors work in the ministry (chap #5) Warnings about things that can hinder the ministry (chap #6)
These are truths for the whole Church to ensure we’re ALL moving in a God-Given direction. Do you want to be part of a health church? Then you have to know what is expected of you and what’s expected of the leaders your following.
In (Joshua 4:1-7) NKJV God told Joshua to take up stones of remembrance! (v.7) “... These stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.” Memorial = (Heb.) "Zik-A-Ron". A record of something notable. God was telling His people to remember what He did for them, and to use the memory to stir their FAITH in the future (4:19-20) NKJV. Gilgal was the place of waiting for every step of faith. And every time they saw those stones, it reminded them of God’s past faithfulness and strengthen their faith to move forward in the present!
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God used this High-Priest system to cover over the barriers of sin until Jesus came and took away sin! Remember this was written in (AD 68) two-years before the destruction of the Temple. So these people knew much more about the High-Priest AND sacrifices that were needed to approach God then you and I do. And under this imperfect system for man, (v.3) the High-Priest had to offer sacrifices for people & himself. These Jewish believers were drifting from the access… Which was now ONLY found in Christ. Their relational & practical understanding of Jesus had weakened and as a result – their faith was also weakening! This speaks to the Church in 2022!
On the first leg we learned about Elders in the local church and the role they play to build up the body of believers. They are Model Christian for others to follow. Their inner life… Their home life… Their church life… And their community life.
Today on the second leg… we discover Deacons in the local church. Deacon = One by virtue of office assigned to him, cares for the poor; he has charge of & distributes money collected for their use; deacons are seen as the proverbial headwaiters, who supervise ministry and serve where the need is. Deacons have: - Authority – been commissioned. - Responsibility – to care for other & distribute funds to the needy. - Wisdom – skilled in the management of business affairs. - Good reputation – long standing good name.
God offers everyone peace with God thru Jesus’ death and the peace of God by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Why do so many struggle with RESTING in God!?! (Hebrews 4) answers that question. Hebrews was given to 2nd generation Christian’s who were struggling with cultural change that challenged the foundation of their faith! “Will I remain in Christ or will I doubt Christ?” The temptation was to go back / to give up / AND to minimize life changing truths.
As 2022 kicks off we’ve sought the Lord for direction as a Church thru prayer & fasting and a common theme seemed to be repeated. It’s a verse that amplifies this year’s flavor of ministry.
(Isa. 43:19) NLT “For I Am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?”
This morning we’re going to Kick Off 2022 with a topical study around this verse so we have a sense of understanding of what God’s up to! The point is, when God forgives and restores people He wants us to forget the failures of the past by living a life of faith in the present! Because every single day – God Is Doing A New Thing
When we come to a time of tragedy like the Marshal Fire it’s helpful to revisit some simple truths about God. In light of our limed perspective and the fragility of our emotions we need help to see God’s love in the middle of pain. Because when life is reduced to ashes and we’re forced to start again hurting people ask a legitimate question: WHY God?
We’re going to make some simple applications to help us live the Christian life! While Hebrews is a difficult book to teach, it does not mean that we can’t grasp some basic truths and be strengthened in the faith. This is magnified as Jesus is compared to Moses. Moses was a faithful man but still he was a flawed sinner. On the other hand, Jesus was… AND is… forever faithful.
Satan wants the conditions around your life to distort God’s love for you! And HE often tricks us into neglect God’s truth because of how we feel. Faith is a willed obedience to God, and if we want to finish our Christian race well we have to live our Christian race well. Listen, Satan try’s to seduce us away from the sufficiency of Christ in every area of our life. So, the lessons found in this epistle to the Hebrews is perfectly suited for today’s Church!
Today, we will see the first of five warnings in the book of Hebrews. Take note of the progression of these warnings:
- Drifting from the word (2:1-4)
- Doubting the word (3:7 – 4:13)
- Dullness to the word (5:11 – 6:20)
- Despising the word (10:26-39)
- Defying the word (12:14-29)
These are progressive signs of decaying faith. They’re indicators of a toxic-spiritual-life which devastates a person with unnecessary scars! (Pain that could be easily avoided.) Paul is just pointing out that the problem isn’t a lack of knowledge but rather a tendency to let the constant distractions water down Christian convictions!
The book of Hebrews is aimed at strengthening the faith of the Hebrew-Christian’s in Rome who were going back to Judaism because of the discomfort of persecution. Many of the Hebrew-believers were drifting into a spiritual standstill by neglecting regular worship services (Heb. 10:25) NLT. This is a great lesson for all of us and a wonderful reminder to guard this in our lives AND a teaching moment for our kids. Today, Paul makes some statements in these verses about the angels, so let’s consider some general truths about angels.
Jewish followers had stepped out of Judaism into Christianity BUT were changing their mind in order to escape persecution. That's why I've titled our study series: “Strengthening Faith in Hard Times." Hebrews is aimed at strengthening faith to avoid going back OR falling into a spiritual standstill. Paul's appeal is based on the superiority of Christ over Judaism’s system of Law. Point being, everything is better with Jesus, so don’t go back!
This Epistle to young Timothy is a great tool for building up the local Church. We've seen encouragement from an older mentor (Paul) to a younger follower AND co-laborer (Timothy). Paul's practical encouragement for Timothy to press on even when it feels like everything is falling apart. *The real time lessons we can take away are two-fold:
1) The body of believers should regularly offer encouragement to their pastor and spiritual leaders.
2) The model extends to all believers as we speak words that edify others.
Finally, prayer should be a massive part of what the Church does! (Both corporate and personal). This is the skinny file on some of what we’ve seen so far. But tonight we look at how to select an elder to oversee the church. This is the highest responsibility within the Church! Not to be lorded over others but as the basis for serving others.
Peter teaches that a judgment is going to happen in an instant and those that dismiss or make light of this by not turning to God will die in their sins. Right now the delay of God is giving unbelievers an opportunity to get right, and believers an opportunity to turn from a fruitless life to a fruitful one. So be ready!
We have one idea “Deeper Issues”, that is going to spill into two different arenas. Church unity is important to understand at the local fellowship-level. We know unity does NOT mean uniformity and we know equal does NOT mean identical. God created humanity, male & Female, to enhance the qualities of each other. Not to devalue (one or the other) into a subservient position! Now, the context of what we’re looking at in (1 Tim 2) is public worship service AND the subject is aimed at the topic of prayer.
Peter saw a day coming when mockery would ATTEMPT to cancel out Christians. This week, Peter changes his instruction to stir the Church up with truth from the OT prophets & the NT Apostles. Peter says he’s trying to stimulate wholesome thinking by refreshing the Believers memory in what God has already done. This is good direction for all of us! It’s health & necessary to go back & stir up your memories with how God has been faithful to see us thru past struggles.
Chapter 2 opened with a core message about prayer (2:1). We saw FOUR ways the Christian is to pray:
1) Supplications - Specific prayers that implore Gods aid in a particular matter.
2) Prayer - Calling upon God in a general way for others.
3) Intercession - A technical term for approaching a king (i.e.) make a formal request for another person’s salvation.
4) Giving thanks - Thanking God IN an act of worship.
Tonight we put these instructions into action! In verses 2-6 we’re looking at using prayer for freeing people to respond to the Gospel message. It’s ongoing congregation-wide prayer for the salvation and well-being of others – including those opposed to the Church!
Peter continues to paint a dark & negative backdrop labeling false teachers as “brute beasts” with savage appetites so the church is NOT carried away by being naïve! The big idea is recognizing the marks of a false teacher so we can Avoid Being Derailed in the Faith. Heads up Church, these “false teachers” are found in BOTH the pulpit & the pew alike!!!
I got saved in 1993 but it was not until 12-years later before I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit (June 22, 2005). It was at a low-key Wednesday night service. After this weekend's service, I read nearly 50-prayer request cards that came from the service, and I realized there was something missing it was the empowering of the Holy Spirit. The prayer requests seemed to be of different topics, but missing a similar substance – POWER! So tonight, I want to give you a short overview of the works of the Holy Spirit in the Church in a simple topical study!
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Tonight we explore the fourth set of building blocks which begins to cover two areas of pastoral ministry:
1) Establishing the church 2) Maintaining church order
In (vv. 1-7) we’re looking at prayer which frees people to respond the Gospel message and establishes the Church.
A.W. TOZER – God Tells the Man Who Cares (Chp. #13)
“… Prayer is the first lesson the preacher must learn, if he is to preach fruitfully. Yet, prayer is the hardest thing he will ever be called upon to do, and being human, it is the one act he will be tempted to do less frequently than any other. He must set his heart to conquer by prayer, and that will mean he must first conquer his own flesh. For it is the flesh that hinders his prayers.”
During a time of heightened apostasy & rampant heresy in the church we must continue to study the scriptures and maintain a close walk with Jesus. He amplifies three examples that are designed to provide HOPE in the consistency of God’s control!
The angels who sinned (v.4) = (Gen. 6) The ancient world during Noah’s day (v.5) = (Gen. 6) The Cities of Sodom & Gomorrah during Lot’s day (v.6) = (Gen. 19).
All of these examples point to the irrefutable FACT that God will judge the unrepentant / wicked / sinners!
Never forget this: your personal testimony of God’s grace! In (Col. 1:25) NKJV Paul said, “… I became a minister according to the stewardship from God...” & here in (v.13). Paul describes himself as a bad man: - Blasphemer – Spoke ill of Jesus - Persecutor – He put some of God’s people to death - Insolent man – Lit. rude and arrogant Take note of the lesson. He's teaching us that God’s Grace overcomes two major problems in our lives : -Our sinful past. -Our present shortcomings. Here's the reminder...
From a first hand perspective, Peter wrote about the need to guard against Apostasy! Which shows up as a slow departure from faith. It’s the little compromises that settle in to our beliefs & daily routines of life. We forget that when temptation hits us, Satan is the one trying to divert us away from God; “Did God really say…” (Gen. 3:1-b), and he tries to seduce our weakness into compromise. That’s temptation – c.p. (James 1:14-16) NKJV BUT, knowing God’s truth allows us to detect Satan’s intrusions, and living out God’s truth allows us to walk in power to defeat apostasy!
Timothy was a young man at this point… (27 – 30) years old. He was a passive & non-confrontational guy and apparently… he had some type of a stomach problem. History tells us that Paul founded the church in Ephesus around (AD 52) and now Timothy was taking it over about 13-yrs later (AD 65). Timothy is right in the middle of a transition process of assuming leadership of the church. After Paul left to Macedonia (The northern region where Berea / Thessalonica / & Philippi are) he urged Timothy to hold the course in Ephesus. But he wanted to quit because of the pressure and Satanic opposition against him.
Peter was death-bed writing to warn believers of the coming flood of error that would sweep over the church! His first letter dealt with external conditions of Christian suffering: Brought on by government officials & pressure from a hostile culture. In his second letter, It’s a totally different topic being covered: False doctrine & moral compromise IN the church! So Peter writes this rapid-fire letter around (AD 66-67) about the deteriorating conditions within the church. Today he covers what we should do once we've become followers of Christ with seven traits to grow in...
In our time, “The pastor is expected to be a walking encyclopedia of Bible knowledge, an expert on all the latest theological trends, a flawless public speaker, an inspiring executive leader, a servant-hearted shepherd, a gifted counselor, an authority on children and youth, and a caretaker of the aged, sick, dying, and grieving – as well as a dedicated husband and a faithful family man!” (Charles Swindoll, Living Insights, 2014) First Timothy is an Epistle that strips away the cultural expectations and lays bare what the Lord expects from: - The pastor - Individual people in the church - And the congregation as a whole
Please understand, that according to (Eph. 4:12) NKJV, the purpose of the church is to edify / equip / & build-up the saints FOR the work of ministry! It’s NOT to evangelize the world.
As we've learned, the Church is living in the “Last Days” of God’s redemptive plan and navigating faith issues in a hostile world is difficult. Jude was moved by the Holy Spirit to speak up about the crisis IN the church, and he exhorted the people of God to “contend for the faith” (v.3). Literally, to struggle as a combatant in order to assert truth! The church was NOT to run from the assault! They were to fight back by staying grounded in truth. Today we look at the assaults from heretical teachers & leaders, and how to survive them as a faithful Christ follower.
Over the years of walking with Jesus I’ve learned the practical value of how a common vision holds us together! On the other hand, without a vision, I’ve seen Christians drift into a lazy relationship with Jesus and never come to their God given potential. We’re going to look back at (Joshua 1) and make a few topical applications along the way. As a ministry this fellowship has arrived at 10-years of service and there’s a need to “Renew The Vision” with a few basic biblical principles.
As we continue our study on apostasy AND Combating Cultural Christianity within the church. Please don’t forget the introductory study and the lessons from last week that laid the foundation! We learned as Jude exhorted us to contend for the faith by protecting the historical doctrines of the church. We learned to avoid TWO common pitfalls:
1) The trap of love without truth = Hyper-grace – an abuse of Jesus’ death.
2) Tolerance without limits = Compromise thru the twisting of historical doctrines.
And our big takeaway was to recall the error of the Church in Laodicea (Rev. 3:14) when the will of the people over-ruled the will of Christ!
The Church is living in the “Last Days” of God’s redemptive plan and we need tools to understand when to fight & when to be passive! The sin in today's church abounds thru an offering of love… without truth, (It’s a prostituted grace) it abounds in offering tolerance… without limits, (If it’s offensive we steer away from it). Good people within the body of Christ have become susceptible to the trickery of Satan by embracing the cultural banner of wokeness! Meanwhile simple minded believers are getting pummeled in a world of contention and spiritual confusion! The Epistle of Jude exhorts the church to fight / to struggle / to contend for the faith!
The Church is living in the “Last Days” of God’s redemptive plan as the global trouble of SIN is climaxing! Now in more recent decades our Country has departed from holding to Biblical morality. The decline of “Traditional Values” as a unifying path for living, people have turned their backs to God! As a result, portions of the Christian Church have adopted coping measures to alleviate cultural pressures from…
Sexual revolution fight = LGBTQ Women’s health care issues = Abortion Complementarianism war = Women’s leadership beliefs Gender dysphoria chaos = Dissatisfaction of assigned gender
Yet all these topics the bible addresses!
Today, Peter begins to wrap down his letter, and as we make our way toward closing he covers three more topics:
Trials (v.12) Sin (v.15) Suffering (v.19)
The core of his message has been focused on submission! But now as we approach the end of (1 Peter) he gives us insight on how God uses trials in our lives.
Charles Swindoll: "Peter wrote this letter to Christians who faced desperate circumstances—undeserved suffering, unfair treatment, unexpected calamities. Here in his concluding counsel, he cycles back to this major theme of hope in hurtful times, giving us practical insights to help us not merely survive the flames but even thrive in their midst."
Through the New Testament we read about the changed lives of those that followed Jesus. Not perfect lives BUT changed lives!
(2 Cor. 5:17) NLT “… anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
Positionally a person who has accepted God’s grace is justified (Rom 5), but practically it takes time to grow as a Christian! Followers of Jesus will grow in new attitudes / new motives / new habits / new pursuits, and even new friendships.
As we look into the Bible we see the different type of men God used. Men who had failed, but were given second chances by God and became strong men of faith!
Abraham = Father of faith (worshipped the moon) Moses = Humble man (but he killed a guy) Joshua = Conquering man (but he was afraid to lead) David = An everyday man (got lazy & committed adultery)
All these men believed God over their failures!!! This type of spiritual formation is a fundamental in man / woman / & child. Having faith in God to work out our weaknesses. Back in the Hebrew Culture a DAD was obligated to do 5-things for his son...
Peter finishes the last pillar of submission by helping the saints think with Christian maturity! This study is critical for understanding our times! It’s where the rubber of Christian living meets the road of cultural difficulty. AND we learn to fear God over man! From a Biblical perspective suffering exists because of sin! Generally speaking, humanity suffers because of three primary reasons
As we work our way thru chapter (CHP. #22) Let me make sure you grasp the big take away “Finish Strong!” Because the season of Jesus’ return is right before us! Don't miss the simple message: It’s all about Jesus! Because that's the end game, God wants us to have this mind right now! Charles Spurgeon said it best - "We cannot imagine that a man’s ambition is fixed on heaven, if he has no heavenward thoughts or aspirations."
Let's think back to the start of the Church… in 1st Century Christianity by looking at the book of (Acts). It’s helpful to know that the book covers about 30-years of time. It shows us the start of the church and how the Gospel spread. Some have called it the bridge between the Gospel of Jesus and the Epistles of the Apostles. The Holy Spirit created a sound like rushing wind (Acts 2:2) which drew the attention of the city, and Peter ends up speaking to the crowd (Acts 2:14). In (v.41) We see 3,000 people from this crowd respond to the Gospel. People changed their outlook & opinions for something better! And in (v.38) they asked what they should do!?! Peter says repent and be baptized!
Tonight, we’re looking at Rev. 21 in a message I’ve titled: “All Things Made New” As we work our way through chapter 21, there’s one major theme covered: God makes everything new! In this chapter God provides us with a quick peak into the eternal state when paradise is restored!
Today Peter closes the broad theme of submission with a maturity checkpoint to see if we’re living out common grace! So, this study is geared toward an individual response and NOT general information. Peter focuses on consistent agreement around major doctrine and how it plays out with one heart & one purpose.
WHAT SHOULD WE DO? Peter provides a snap-shot of Christian virtues that should be lived out in common grace.
Here's the overview of chapter 20.There are four different scenes covered:
(vv.1-3) Satan Bound for 1,000 years (vv.4-6) 1st & 2nd Resurrection (some to life & some to death) (vv.7-10) Satan loosed & then cast into the lake of fire (vv.11-15) The Great White Throne Judgment
Let’s dive into each one of these for some general understanding. These topics could be explored for an entire series, but that’s NOT the intent of our study. Our aim is to capture the big understanding of the book so we’re NOT ignorant of God’s overall plan.
Today, Peter advances the theme of submission within the home for a second time! He's teaching the Church that believers can successfully live out their faith even when the world is Hostile toward Godly principals. It's no secret that the Christian home is being assaulted by Satan as he continually undermines Biblical truths. Yet, Peter’s letter helps us understand God’s plan by demonstrating how “submission” works within a home. Peter is giving pointed instruction for Christian Husbands.
Let’s remember why the Apostle John was writing these details down. The Church was still struggling with oppression & loss and God was providing a vision of HOPE! Revelation's main purpose is to give the setting for the return of Christ! The disclosure of that which was previously unknown! God started this book with an overall blessing to the Church – the “disclosure” of what he is going to do.
Today we come to a topic that has massive implications on the way our families grow and develop. We know much of our worldview is shaped by the early input from our families! AND generally speaking we learn basic-life-lessons from the beliefs passed down within the family structure (Some good & some bad.) So, as we continue studying thru (1 Peter) remember we’ve been learning under the theme: “Hope In a Hostile World”. And over the past few weeks we’ve discovered Peter’s core message is submission when external pressure collides with our daily lives! Today we continue in the same vein, but we focus on submission within household structures.
Malachi is the last book in the O.T. and took place about 400-years before The Gospel of (Matthews) in the N.T. The historical setting occurs near the end of Nehemiah after the Jew’s were freed from the Babylonia Captivity. Biblical history shows that when God’s people cast aside God’s ways it’s just a matter of time before corrects the mistake! Under Nehemiah God got the people back on their feet following the years of crisis. However, at the end of Nehemiah just 14-yrs after God’s help the people willfully forgot about God’s love for them.
As we work our way thru THIS chapter there’s going to be several topics covered and as always, please remember this is a book of Prophecy (future events) that reveals to the Church the faithful return of Christ! We've learned that Revelation does NOT answer all our curiosity nor is it intended to fascinate us with the unknown. Rather, it assures believers with the certainty of Christ’s return, AND puts a holy fear in those who do NOT know Christ. That being said, we’re just getting a glimpse of what’s ahead.
The big picture in (CHP. #19) ... - Is broken down into five parts: (vv.1-6) Rejoicing in heaven (vv.7-10) Marriage celebration of the Lamb is ready (vv.11-16) Second coming of Christ happens (vv.17-19) Armageddon is going down (vv.20-21) Defeat of the beast / false prophet / kings / armies
Today we’re going to start with a broad-spectrum of Biblical truth AND then drop into the point our text and conclude with personal application for everyone. God has a plan for every one of your lives! He has a “Master Agenda!” And the discovery of who He IS along with the relationship He wants with us is revealed in scripture.
We move forward into the core conversation of Peter’s Epistle and the main topic that he gives to the church for maintaining Hope in a Hostile World. We discover a very real issue for the Church during the time of Peter’s writing, and equally critical for the Church in America in 2021. Fundamentally “The Right Response to Power” (a.k.a. submission) is covered in FOUR distinct areas...
Right now the world is accelerating thru a massive transformation as morality / governments / corporations / & borders are being prepared for the Anti-Christ, who will rule the final global empire known as Babylon! The accelerated transformation you’re witnessing within America’s boarders is a Satanic coordination to thwart the plans of God. The people you see on the screens of your devices (Have become recognizable in all of our homes) and are people who have sold their souls to Satan, knowingly OR unknowingly!
No doubt, the greatest day for the Christian community since everything we believe hinges on the Resurrection of Christ! In fact, the Apostle Paul says the Resurrection of Jesus is the cap stone of the Gospel!
“… If Christ is NOT risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty.” (1-Cor. 15:14)
“… If Christ has NOT been raised, then [our] faith is useless And [we’re] still guilty of [our] sins!” (1-Cor. 15:17) (NLT)
In Proverbs 4 we’re going to read the Fatherly advice of Solomon as he passes on the heritage of wisdom. Solomon is saying this stuff is worth listening to because of the quality of life it will bring you! The family secrets of successful living! Church, as we passed these truths to others we must recognize that it’s done relationally. It's been said “Christianity is more often caught than taught.”
These topics have been the conduit for a single theme: Hope in a Hostile World! We’re learning how to live with HOPE in a changing culture. Practically, we’ve learned that separation from the worlds ideas does NOT mean WE isolate ourselves from the world! Rather, we’re to live in contact with the world without becoming contamination by unbelief OR rebellion!
Chapter 17 & 18 deal with the final destruction of Babylon in an ecclesiastical and political form. However, these chapters are not chronological in form. In today's society, we see humanism which is described as the aim to grow personally instead of genuinely seeking God. The name Christian means "Christ-like"
HERE’S THE QUESTION WE’RE ASKING: How am I to live different as a Christian?
But, let's start with a basic understanding first! The Epistles provide Life Skills for Christians. In other words, our success will be seriously hindered if we don’t use the tools (directions) God has given us. The Epistles provide daily insight into God’s will for the Christian. They help us overcome practical problems with Godly responses.
*We’re getting Hope in a HOSTILE world!
Peter was writing to encourage the church during difficult times – hostile times! Time’s that increased pressure on the Church, just like what we’re experiencing today. This pressure comes from Satan, but human instruments implement it knowingly & unknowingly! LET ME PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE...
Let's start in (Chp. 15:8) the presence of God filled the temple… And no one was able to enter the temple! As we begin, we see a loud voice coming OUT of the temple! Bible students it’s important to remember… that THIS chapter deals with judgments on those who have accepted The mark of the beast (Rev. 16:2). Please keep in mind that there will be tribulation saints who live thru & into The Millennial Kingdom (Isa. 11:6), (Isa. 65:20 & 23), (Jer. 30:20)
Psalm 107 is a Psalm that looks backward into the failure of Israel's history with an eye on how to move forward Out of the set-backs of sin. Some have said this Psalm was written to remind and & motivate people to keep the faith BY continuing to praise God, because He delivers, restores, & heals His followers. So, from my point of view, Psalm 107 is a real-life picture of walking with the Lord through different life-changing struggles!
Revelation 15 circles back to describe God's judgments in more detail. There's a chronological order that flows through Chapters 15, 16 and 19 covering these last pages and scenes. Revelation 15 is broken into two sections: (vv. 1-4) focuses on victory in heaven & (vv. 5-8) focuses on God's vengeance on Earth.
We discover three ways God’s word speaks to us:
1) It tells us of sinful conditions in a fallen world. 2) It tells us how God can forgive sin and change us in Jesus. 3) It teaches us how to live out our faith, in a hostile world.
This week, another sinful reality… has arrived at the Churches front door. When we forget Gods word it’s because we’ve rejected God’s grace! (And that has a National consequences). A few days ago The House of Representatives passed a Bill called the “Equality Act”. This bill amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by adding discrimination language for sexual orientation AND gender identity to the areas of: Employment / housing / public accommodation / education / credit /& jury service.
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This morning let’s also recognize the growth in Peter and apply the lessons of faith so we can grow too. Peter was no joke! Tradition tells us that Peter’s wife was crucified while Peter was forced to watch. And, it’s reported that Peter cried to her as she was dying, He screams out, “Remember the Lord!” Then Peter was crucified upside down. Point being, Peter’s walk with Jesus had matured! And he was putting into practice the things he wrote here.
As we tackle this chapter, perhaps the KEY POINT for believers is to focus on your reward / inheritance in Christ!
(Ps. 84:2) NLT… “I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the LORD. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God.”
(Matt. 5:6) NKJV “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
Church, there's something to be said about stirring our hearts UP for God!
Last week we discovered the cultural-backdrop in Rome and the conditions Peter wrote about. History shows the hostility of Nero's government toward Christians was real and present across Rome! And, we learned that the main theme in 1st Peter is hope in the face of persecution (that hostile an unfair treatment of religious people. Today we add to this with a simple understanding of the man writing - Peter.
Once again the Church is being positioned for what appears to be a season of persecution! Bible believing Christians are on a collision course with the forced standards in our society. Christians stand in stark contrast to the cultural-religion found in the mainstream of our society, and there’s no hiding anymore!
The French Revolution, which started in 1789, was a moment in world history noted for unprecedented atheism. Historians say it was the first major political movement to advocate for the supremacy of human reason over belief in God. We can see that the 21st century has been similar because the preeminent thought is everywhere - Human reason over faith in God!
As we close out 2020 I want you to consider stories of faith from the past! I want you to inventory the spiritual tools God has given you! Because no matter how far we have walked with God every day is still a walk of faith.
This week we consider a few final ideas for growing in the faith while being mindful of what can derail our progress. I think it's interesting that his closing statements circle back around to the spiritual care of our lives. James begins by talking about suffering that is NOT the result of sin in our lives.
James rebukes the rich for violating the lower class through fraud! And he pronounces on them a coming doom. What may start off as an interest in making money turned into the love of money and it brought all kinds of injustices and corruption.
Tonight we are surveying Revelation 13 in a global-climate that is taking great strides to welcome tribulation conditions. But we're able to discern the times because Daniel 12:4 says God's people (closer to the end-times) will recognize conditions more clearly because "knowledge will increase." So the focus of our study tonight covers:
1) Understand the big picture of revelation 13 2) Recognize the changes occurring right now in 2020 3) How to adjust our lives accordingly - James 5:8
Tonight we’re studying Revelation in a national climate that is getting closer to what the Apostle John experienced. We're in a health crisis globally (COVID-19)… Our Country is divided & charged politically anger, depression, & fear all mixed emotions of the day. And, according to a November 2020 online article… From @: "… the LGBTQ lobby is behind a nation-wide crusade to strip Christians of 1st Amendment rights and criminalize their religion.” (Nov. 2020)
Now as apart of our James series we have been learning how the entire Bible speaks to our lives! We’ve called it: Christianity at the Cross-Roads of Culture. This has allowed us to navigate a series of “Real Time Topics”. In a rapidly changing world. We’ve literally gained insight for the moment at hand! Today we will study a man named Daniel, who was more than 80-yrs old. At this point in history, he lived through all of the changing laws and cultural shockwaves, which developed an unwavering faith & courage in God!
Is the government really limiting the number of family members I can have in my home at Thanksgiving? Is Christmas really being considered a holiday that should stop because it’s offensive to some!?! Are all these changes “For Real?” Now the very first thing we want to ask this morning: "Are there examples in the Bible where God helped His people thru cultural changes and pro-longed difficulty - which He caused?!" YES THERE IS!!!
This Psalm looks into the failure of Israel's history and shows us how we can move forward out of the ruins of sin!
We’ve learned that practical Christian living at the Crossroads of Culture is the core message of James. But remember, James was a half-brother to Jesus and he was antagonist & critical toward the methods / message / & miracles of Jesus (John 7:3-5) NLT. However after James saw the resurrected Jesus (1 Cor. 15:7) NKJV, he became a radical defender & supporter of the faith! James writes a NO non-sense book about Christian living in a corrupt culture…
Tonight we assemble as the Church in a growing age of pressure and intense problems! We're directly on the heals of last night's election and under the potential that America could be forever changed! We are a state that allows late term abortions beyond 22 weeks all the way uptimes to the birth of a baby. (About 60% of voters supported this measure). So, we find ourselves in need of a clearer perspective as to why god allows evil to exist.
This morning we're returning to our study in James by exploring practical Christian living at the Crossroads of 2020 Culture. Remember James has been highlighting what Genuine Faith looks like in practical daily living...
The unfolding of what we are going to see today opens the last judgments. The Trumpets must be examined in the context for the intended meaning, because if we confuse the rapture trumpet with the judgment trumpet what hope does that leave us with?
Chapter 11 is one of most difficult chapters to interpret in Revelation! Yet as we’ve been learning thru this study we see the benefits of using a literal interpretation to clear up much of the confusion that surfaces! Today John takes us thru a second look at the second woe occurring between the 6th & 7th Trumpet blast. Part of understanding Revelation is recognizing the scene changes. Our story has been focused on giving a general flow to the timing of events!
This section of scripture literally has the ability to change, heal or help you no matter how difficult the situation appears to be! Here's how Jesus is looking to work in YOUR life today...
Today we continue in (Revelation 10) where John reveals the final act of mercy before the mystery of God is finished (v.7). Chronologically, this parenthetical (this interlude) occurs between the 6th & 7th Trumpet Judgments. So, over the past several weeks we’ve witnessed dark angels coming UP from below AND there’s been torment & torture & death!
This morning we’re going to diving into the emotional depths of (Psalm 77). We’re going to look at an uncommon character – Asaph. An inner-circle man from Jeremiah’s day who was left behind to care for the suffering remnant. But this guy was in bad condition! Let's see how he dealt with disappointment & despair..
The 6th trumpet starts the second phase of demonic activity right before Jesus takes over the world! The four angels being released are not specifically named, but we can look at the scene to discover some clues. At no time in scripture do we see good angels bound. Scholars describe these angels as fallen angels (Demons).
I was raised by a single mom who managed to instill Jesus into my heart. Now, mom was far from perfect, but as a single-mom, she gave a perfect effort! She even made the best of poor conditions in the 1970's because she believed Jesus would help us! Church, this is where we start our study this morning. By reading about real people who believed Jesus and put their faith into action!
Today in Chapter 9, the prophecy advances yet again. Because we're being confronted with the harsh reality of demonic activity bursting upon the scene! Now remember we’re around the mid-point of the Tribulation period and the choice is being narrowed down, God OR Satan! This chapter gives us a sober awakening to the underworld! Because the curtain is pulled back and we see into the dark spiritual realm.
Last week we finished chapter #7, which was the parenthetical chapter giving us a deeper look behind Chapter #6. However if we wanted to read straight thru without the additional insight we would go from (Rev. 6) right into (Rev. 8). Now in (Rev. 8:1-13) we enter the second 3½ years of the tribulation. These judgments ARE literal & NOT symbolic! The seals, trumpets, & bowels are NOT running parallel, but following one behind the other. These judgements are NOT because of global warming and they’re NOT because of a nuclear war!
Today, we come to another topical message as we continue living thru a cultural-divide. This divide is NOT new to history! It’s just NEW to us. In fact, the Bible records numerous acts of senseless-injustices & violence when people abandon the personal reality of God. Now, I hope I can capture your attention this morning because we’re living thru complex times.
It’s helpful to divide (chapter #7) in half so we can understand the scene. This is a deeper OR different look at things we’ve already covered. In verses (vv.1-8) the scene is happening on earth. While in (vv.9-17) the scene is happening in heaven. It’s important to NOTICE… that God makes a distinction between people groups: - The Church - Israel - Tribulation Saints
This morning we’re going draw upon some much needed grace! God wants to speak to all of us yes, but there’s a special word for the ones who have been struggling and are wore out! God wants you to know that He sees & He knows your pressure-points! Today is a day to clear up the “Distorted Vision” and make your way back to fresh faith!
First as we go thru the remainder of Revelation the drama flashes back & forth between Earth & Heaven. Second the over-all picture: God is judging a rebellious world! Real men & women that have put Jesus off. Rejection / self-deception / OR false beliefs. (Rev. 16:9) (10-11) & (21) blasphemed & didn’t repent. Third the escalation of these judgments looks like this...
There are a lot of people who name drop Jesus, but their lives don’t reflect that they actually know Jesus! The reflection looks more like culture than Christ. So James highlights what Genuine Faith looks like thru practical daily living!
We're returning to our study in a James which focuses on practical Christian living at the crossroads of culture. If there's a topic that's difficult for us to conquer its this...
When God does something on our behalf many times were left “Speechless!” For example, in the book of (Acts 2:6-12) at the coming of the Holy Spirit, the crowd had 4-responses:
Confused – Disturbed the mind Amazed – Beside self Marveled – In admiration Perplexed – At a loss of words (Speechless)
That's how I felt on Friday as I recalled many of the things Jesus has done thru this ministry! Listen, this work started as the Lord changed 1-man, 1-Marriage, 1-Family and He set in motion 1-ministry that has impacted thousands of lives!
If ever there was a time that superhero’s were needed 2020 would qualify for that need! Riots / racism / violence / deadly virus’ / & political fools are some of the difficulties littered across the landscape of our society, causing anger & frustration!!! In modern history both influence & power from politicians, political activists, Hollywood elites AND progressive liberals have stripped our culture of common sense justice! And well-meaning people are reeling not knowing how to respond to the removal of common decency? Someone made an interesting & pointed observation...
As we continue to move forward thru 2020 our recommitment is to Jesus as we refocus on his promises and rebuild our faith in Him! Today we look at Psalms 1 and the beauty of this book is these chapters are filled with real people going through complex and scary moments in their lives! The benefit we get is watch how they handled it….
One of the tough realities of life is dealing with fear. Fear has the ability to halt us in our tracks! Because pressure causes panic, panic leads to procrastination, and procrastination can paralyze us. So how can we live under the increasing fear? Let’s talk about it…
Today we want to continue in faith on the course God has set before us! In part one of this study I made some bold statement about how the Church has become spiritually weakened by being online only. Here's a real statement from a 4-yr old little boy in this church.
As we survey the history of the Bible we see God’s people in the Exodus from Egypt wrestling with the idea of safety as they went forward. In (Numbers 13 & 14) there’s a battle within the Nation (Israel)! There were those who wrestled with the circumstances of danger and those who trusted God above the present reality (Num. 13:28). Yet, it was fear from the majority (Num. 13:31-33) that caused the division within their ranks. Now, today (July 5th 2020) the Church is in a similar moment...
Recently I’ve learned about the french revolution which began in 1789. It was used to re-design the European culture and overturn hundreds of years of social order. Listen this was all done in an attempt to erase christianity and advance secularism / reason / & enlightenment. During that revolution statues of their past were torn down to remove the remembrance of their history...
This morning America is melting down as people of all colors have cast aside basic virtues of right & wrong. Over the last two weeks our Police have become the scape-goats for a society that has become unhinged in its moral fabric. The results are being seen in un-obstructed anarchy….
We have a compelling topical message today to address the consuming crisis in America. We’ve been overwhelmed by the COVID-19 sickeness & the outgrowth of restrictrions placed on our lives for the last 3 months. Now we’re visually troubled by the riots & protests across the country. Strong opinions are shaping the social landscape. Racism and the breakdown of human civility is opening up old injustices with fresh pain & new anger. That’s why we’re looking at Habakkuk…
Today our conversation takes us beyond un-relatable ideas and drops us into the tension of a frustrated man… seeking answers – John the Baptizer! John had a whole hearted belief that Jesus was the coming savior! But, he questioned why he was going thru this trouble!?! Can’t Jesus deliver me!?! Blind are seeing / lame walking / dead are being raised. So why am I still stuck in this situation!?! Can't you relate???
The captivity was ending & some Jewish people were returning. It was a 900 mile journey from Babylon back to Jerusalem and it took about four months to complete. there was risk, there was uncertainty, there was hard work ahead! So here's why the history of Ezra is so important to us today...
There have been a lot of pivot points we've encountered over the last 11 weeks. Today we brace for yet another change in anticipation for the regathering for worship in the days to come! So, we're going to explore two locations (2 Chronicles 29 & Nehemiah 2). One has Hezekiah reopening the doors of the Temple, and the second has Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of protection. But, HERE'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TODAY:
- FEAR and frustration are growing across our country
- Conditioned HELPLESSNESS is setting in
- Hopelessness leads to DEPRESSION & downward health.
Today our study takes us beyond theory & ideas of walking with God and into HOW a believer lives as a Christian. This portion of James is all about results... hurting people who found hope and healing in Jesus RESULTING in genuine faith! And James is teaching us that genuine faith is visible. UNDERSTAND THIS: The point of these verses is not to question or doubt your salvation, rather they are to stir up expressions and evidence of your faith.
This week we're back in the book of James and he's teaching us about partiality. James is cutting deep into the issues of our heart and there's not one person this doesn't affect. Because we're all prone to act on partialities and prejudices! So how can we walk away from these divisive habits?
In this episode of Calvary at home we are jumping back into the book of James. We're going to discuss what it looks like living in a post Christian moment which means people want the benefits of the Kingdom with out the King (Jesus). James is teaching Christians that real faith produces evidence! But we must also realize that growth takes time, so he's not teaching us about perfection but showing us the way Jesus wants us to go.
Today we are diving into a topical study looking at the life of Jonah. Jonah was a man that was given specific instruction from God and went the opposite direction. But God's love continued to pursue him and ultimately he was given a second chance. So, let's ask the question... what's "My Response to the Will of God?"
Idea #1 - Stop Running
Idea #2 - Called to Carry Grace
Idea #3 - Stop the Hurt
Welcome to Calvary at Home! Today we celebrate Good Friday. This is the day that Jesus was beaten and crucified for the sin one the World, and we celebrate by remember this. Pastor Jeff will be talking about what this means for humanity and how we can benefit from Jesus' sacrifice - How we've been brought "From Death to Life". We'll be referencing Exodus 6:6-8 and discussing these ideas:
Idea #1 - The Way Home Idea #2 - Access to Help Idea #3 - Remember the Gift
DoingMyPartCO #WestminsterCO
"Living Through an Extended Crisis" This morning let's use the book of Jeremiah to gain a sense of perspective. Remember Jeremiah told people for 40-years about what was coming in his day. But people PUSHED BY with their own busy lives, until a crisis hits. The New Testament tells us about the days we’re living in & the popular attitude that surrounds us.
"Coarse Correction During the Storm" (Ruth 1:1-6)
Idea #1: Abandoning Truth in Crisis
Idea #2: Living Out Loud
Idea #3: U-Turn Needed
"The Internal Storms of Distress" Psalms 42-43
We know throughout history crisis often draws people to call out to God! So, in this moment the Coronavirus has invoked many kinds of responses:
1) Life routines have been disrupted (no control) 2) Panic has caused (food & supplies to be hoarded) 3) Anxiety from the uncertainty of (Jobs / health / finances)
All of these are part of the “The Internal Storm of Distress”
Through the course of my life, the Psalms have been an incredible source of encouragement when I’ve been overwhelmed! Many of the Psalms are filled with high emotions from David and gut wrenching experiences in human life. So today because panic, uncertainty, and growing pressure are surging I want us to consider (Ps. 46) and gain “Courage to Combat the Crisis”
One important point before we begin. This Psalm is broken down into three sections which is separated by the word “Salah” Simply meaning the hearers are to pay special attention by being alert, listening closely, and remembering the point!